Alpine & mountain passes
Europe's great high roads — Grandes Alpes, Grossglockner, Transfăgărășan and more. Switchbacks, summits and the passes worth timing right.
Stelvio Pass: Bormio to Prato allo Stelvio by Motorbike
Ride the Passo dello Stelvio from Bormio to Prato allo Stelvio: 46 km, about 40 hairpins up from Bormio and 48 down to Prato, 2,758 m at the top, usually open from late May to early November.
Route Napoléon by Motorbike: Grenoble to Cannes (2 Days)
Ride France's Route Napoléon (N85) from Grenoble to the Riviera at Cannes — Sisteron, Castellane, Grasse, sweeping bends, where to sleep and real costs.
Furka, Grimsel & Susten Loop from Andermatt: 134 km
The three-pass loop from Andermatt: 134 km over the Furka, Grimsel and Susten, past the Rhône Glacier and dam lakes, usually open June to October.
Route des Grandes Alpes: Thonon-les-Bains to Nice, 720 km
Drive 720 km from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean over a dozen high passes, including the Col de l'Iseran at 2,764 m. Cols open roughly June to October.
The Great Dolomite Road: Bolzano to Cortina (3 Days)
A 3-day drive of the Grande Strada delle Dolomiti from Bolzano to Cortina d'Ampezzo — the passes, cable cars, seasonal closures and real costs, day by day.
Grossglockner High Alpine Road: Zell am See to Heiligenblut
Drive the Grossglockner High Alpine Road from Zell am See to Heiligenblut: 70 km, 36 hairpins to about 2,500 m, tolls, and when the road is open.
Vršič Pass: Kranjska Gora to Bovec, 50 km in 2 Days
Slovenia's highest pass climbs 50 hairpins over the Julian Alps from Kranjska Gora, then drops to the turquoise Soča and Bovec. Two days, best June–September.
Transalpina (DN67C): Sebeș–Novaci Over the 2,145 m Urdele
Romania's highest road: 150 km from Sebeș to Novaci over the 2,145 m Urdele pass, open in summer only. Day-by-day route, stops, sleeping and costs.
Bucharest to the Transfăgărășan Road Trip (3 Days)
A 3-day drive from Bucharest to the Transfăgărășan — day-by-day route, Dracula's real castle, Bâlea Lake and honest costs. Read the seasonal warning first.
Zurich to Interlaken Road Trip (3 Days)
A 3-day drive from Zurich to Interlaken via Lucerne — day-by-day route, alpine stops, the Swiss vignette rules and what it really costs.
Munich to Venice Road Trip Through the Alps (4 Days)
Drive from Munich to Venice across the Dolomites — the best alpine stops, where to sleep, tolls and real costs.
Drive Ljubljana to Lake Bled: 130 km in 3 Days
The motorway takes 40 minutes; this 130 km route takes three days, going via Škofja Loka and Bohinj before Lake Bled. Day-by-day driving notes from Ljubljana.
Picos de Europa: Cangas de Onís to Potes, 160 km in 3 Days
A 3-day, 160 km mountain loop through the Picos de Europa in green Spain, from Cangas de Onís to Potes, with slow twisting roads and a pickup in Bilbao.