The 25 Most Beautiful Roads in Italy

 

You know how they say, “It’s about the journey, not the destination“. And, we couldn’t agree more with this because it is the journey that takes you from one place to another and the thing that turns the reaching of destination into a real adventure.

There are so many wonderful roads in the world, but if you go to Italy or live there and want to explore the entire country, you must visit the roads that offer wonderful views and a truly impressive and memorable experience. To make sure you don’t miss any of them, here are the 25 most beautiful roads in Italy!

25. Trieste Coastal Road, Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Location: from Sistiana to Miramare
Length: 11 km

The Trieste coastal road is one of the main access routes to Trieste. About 11 km long, its construction dates back to the 1920s. The panorama focuses on the splendid Gulf of Trieste.

24. SP510 of Eastern Sebino, Lombardy

Location: from Pisogne to Iseo
Length: 15 km

A road with a limit of 70-90 km/h that connects the lower Vallecamonica with Brescia, passing through the magnificent area of ​​Lake Iseo in the villages of Pisogne, Vello, Marone, Sale Marasino, Sulzano, and Iseo. This provincial road offers truly memorable views, especially in the stretch in front of Monte Isola.

23. Road from Cortina to Selva, Veneto – Trentino-Alto Adige

Location: from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Selva Val Gardena
Length: 59 km

A beautiful itinerary that unites the regions of Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige that can be driven in every season, although it’s much more suggestive in winter, with the snow. Some of the municipalities crossed are Costadedoi and Corvara in Badia.

22. The Romanesque Route, Piedmont

Location: from Asti to Tonengo
Length: 35 km

The Romanesque Route is one of the 4 itineraries of the Monferrato Astigiano Wine Route in Piedmont and its central part. To the south, it borders with the city of Asti and to the north, with the plain of the river Po. The hills are of medium altitude.

21. Todi – Orvieto Road, Umbria

Location: from Todi to Orvieto
Length: 41 km

A wonderful hilly road that connects Todi and Orvieto, two very important historical centers for Umbria. The road passes through villages such as Tordimonte and Pontecuti and runs alongside Lake Corbara and the River Tiber.

20. The Avenue of Cypresses, Tuscany

Location: Castagneto Carducci
Length: 5 km

A road in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci (Livorno Maremma) that connects the oratory of San Guido with the historic village of Bolgheri. The avenue is a very long straight road surrounded by imposing centuries-old cypresses. The poet Giosuè Carducci lived in this area for many years.

19. State Road 693 of the Lesina and Varano Lakes, Puglia

Location: from Poggio Imperiale to Vico del Gargano
Length: 60 km

A very important and panoramic road artery for the Gargano as it laps the lakes of Lesina and Varano, offering unique views a stone’s throw from the sea.

18. Valnerina, Umbria – Marche

Location: from Terni to Muccia
Length: 89 km

This splendid road begins in the town of Terni and, passing through the Marmore waterfalls, reaches the province of Perugia. From there, it continues all the way to Marche. This road is especially beautiful in spring as visitors can admire the expanses of flowers so beautiful that leave everyone breathless.

17. Panoramic Road Taormina – Syracuse, Sicily

Location: from Taormina to Syracuse
Length: 120 km

A splendid Sicilian stretch overlooking the Ionian Sea, passing through the municipalities of Giarre, Acireale, and Augusta. This allows visitors to admire impressive places and enjoy truly breathtaking views.

16. Via Tiburtina Valeria, Lazio – Abruzzo

Location: from Rome to Pescara
Length: 216 km

An ancient road built by the consul Marco Valerio Massimo around 286 BC, little known today little but always of great charm. Some sections don’t follow the original route.

15. San Bartolo Park – Marche

Location: from Gabicce to Pesaro
Length: 16 km

This panoramic road crosse the Monte San Bartolo Natural Park and connects Cabicce to Pesaro. It is a true cross between art and nature. We recommend a stop at the medieval village of Gabicce Monte, the Vallugola bay, and the village of Casteldimezzo.

14. Litoranea Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca, Puglia

Location: from Otranto to Leuca
Length: 47 km

The SP 81 is one of the most scenic roads in all of Salento and Puglia, as well as one of the most beautiful in entire Italy. The road is close to the sea and passes through beautiful areas, such as Porto Badisco, Santa Cesarea Terme, and Castro.

13. The Panoramic Road of Crete Senesi, Tuscany

Location: from Taverne d’Arbia to Sinalunga
Length: 40 km

A wonderful hilly route in the province of Siena, southeast of the city, along the via Lauretana. Cypress scenography, Leonia Castle, Mucigliani village… one beauty following another waiting to be admired, if possible on two wheels.

12. Cinque Terre Coast Road, Liguria

Location: from La Spezia to Chiesanuova
Length: 19 km

A provincial road that crosses the Cinque Terre National Park. Starting from La Spezia and through a long tunnel, you will reach the side of the Cinque Terre, enjoying a unique panorama.

11. Panoramic Road of the Strait, Sicily

Location: Messina
Length: 10 km

Discovering the sea ​​in the north of Sicily, a stone’s throw from Calabria: the panoramic road of the Strait SP43 bis overlooks the sea for incredible views.

10. State Road 340 Regina, Lombardy

Location: from Como to the border with Switzerland (Valsolda)
Length: 50 km

Again in Lombardy, but this time from Como going up towards the Swiss border following the state road 340 Regina, which runs alongside Lake Como for a while. The road largely follows the route of the ancient Via Regina.

9. Stelvio State Road, Lombardy – Trentino-Alto Adige

Location: from Piantedo to Bolzano
Length: 225 km

The SS 38 of Stelvio connects the Valtellina with the Val Venosta, passing through the Stelvio Pass which is located at 2,758 meters above sea level. From Val Venosta, it continues to Alto Adige, up to Bolzano. Going up along the Stelvio road, you can immerse yourself in nature and admire the surrounding mountains.

8. South Coast Panoramic Road, Sardinia

Location: from Teulada to Santa Margherita di Pula
Length: 22 km

A wonderful Sardinian panoramic road that offers unforgettable views of the sea, the beaches, and the nature of this incredible region. Along the way, there are very interesting villages from a historical point of view, such as Nora.

7. Sorrentina Road, Campania

Location: from Pompeii to Castellamare di Stabia
Length: 11 km
This road connects the A3 Salerno – Reggio Calabria motorway with the Sorrento peninsula. It is a breathtaking route that is particularly popular with motorcyclists.

6. Valvestino, Lombardy

Location: from Capovalle to Gargnano
Length: 28 km

An authentic little-known jewel of Lombardy, Valvestino, is a valley that connects Valle Sabbia / Lago d’Idro with Lake Garda. Valvestino road develops above the splendid artificial lake, with blue colors and coves reminding of the Norwegian fjords. Near Gargnano, the lake culminates with the imposing dam. But, the beauties of Lake Garda don’t end there …

5. Overview of Zegna, Piedmont

Location: from Villanova Biellese to Bocchetto di Sessera
Length: 44 km

A Biellese provincial road very popular with motorcyclists. It culminates in Bocchetto di Sessera, at almost 1,400 meters above sea level, offering beautiful views, and alongside the Oasi Zegna, a nature reserve of over 100 km2.

4. Road of the Three Umbrian Valleys, Umbria – Marche

Location: from Arquata del Tronto to San Giovanni di Baiano
Length: 70 km

The SS 685 of the Tre Valli Umbre, beside the earthquake, remains one of the most beautiful roads in Italy. Built in the 1970s, it forms a corridor between the Adriatic Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea. There are 3 tunnels with a length of more than 4 km each.

3. Great Dolomites Road, Trentino-Alto Adige – Veneto

Location: from Bolzano to Cortina
Length: 110 km

A road with extremely impressive views that runs through Trentino-Alto Adige and up to Veneto. Inaugurated in 1909 and initially built for war purposes, state road 48 is one of the most famous in Italy today.

2. Amalfi Coast, Campania

Location: from Positano to Vietri sul Mare
Length: 40 km

A road overlooking the Gulf of Salerno and part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a world-famous route for its naturalistic and landscape beauties.

1. The Road of the Gorge, Lombardy

Location: Tremosine
Length: 5.8 km

An incredible road considered one of the most beautiful in the world, Strada della Forra unites the splendid village of Tremosine with the coastal road of Lake Garda. It’s almost legendary, built about one century ago to join the then isolated village of Tremosine to the lake, and, today, it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Northern Italy. The gorges, the small tunnels, the rock, and the Brasa stream are of disarming beauty. However, this road is not recommended for campers and large cars.