Driving Roads in Italy

Explore scenic and exciting driving roads across Italy.

Chiantigiana (SR222)

Italy

93 /100

58 kmIT

Gardesana Occidentale (SS45bis)

Great Dolomites Road (SS48)

Passo di Falzarego / Valparola (SP24)

Strada della Forra (SP38)

Italy

80 /100

5 kmIT

Strada statale 163 Amalfitana

Driving in Italy

Northern Italy contains many of the country's best-known mountain driving environments. The Alps and Dolomites offer steep gradients, frequent hairpins, exposed high-altitude sections, and routes such as Passo dello Stelvio, Passo Pordoi, Passo Gardena, and Passo Giau. Around the Italian lakes, roads often combine mountain terrain with narrow shoreline sections and busy settlements. Farther south, the Apennines run through much of the peninsula, creating quieter ridge roads, forested passes, and winding connections between historic hill towns. Tuscany and Umbria add rolling countryside and open rural roads, while Liguria, the Amalfi Coast, Calabria, Sicily, and Sardinia provide dramatic coastal driving where cliffs, coves, and compact settlements shape the road. Road width, surface quality, traffic, and access vary considerably, particularly on older mountain and village routes, so individual roads should be checked before planning a drive.

Season & conditions

Lowland and coastal driving roads are generally usable year-round, but conditions vary sharply with elevation. High Alpine passes can close for winter because of snow and avalanche risk; Passo dello Stelvio, for example, is normally a seasonal route rather than a year-round crossing. Other mountain roads may remain open but require winter equipment or face temporary weather closures. Snow can persist into late spring at altitude, while summer thunderstorms, rockfall, roadworks, heat, and occasional wildfire restrictions can affect routes elsewhere. Always check current access and road conditions for individual passes.

Tolls & access

Most Italian autostrade use distance-based tolls rather than a national motorway vignette. Drivers generally take a ticket on entry and pay at the exit, with card, cash, and compatible electronic toll systems available on applicable routes; some motorways use different collection arrangements. Separate urban access rules also matter: many historic centres have ZTL restricted-traffic zones, and Milan's central Area C charges eligible vehicles for entry during operating hours. Mountain and scenic roads are not generally covered by a single national scenic-road fee, so route-specific restrictions or charges should be checked separately.