Stelvio Pass Road
Italy's highest mountain pass road (2,757 m), with 48 numbered hairpin bends on its northeast side, is one of the most famous driving roads in the Alps.
The Stelvio Pass sits on the border between South Tyrol and Lombardy at 2,757 m, making it the highest road pass in Italy and the second-highest in the Alps. The SS38 over the pass was built by the Austrian Empire between 1820 and 1825, running east to Bolzano and west through the Valtellina to the northern tip of Lake Como. The classic route starts in Bolzano, follows the Venosta Valley through Merano to Prato allo Stelvio, and begins the climb at Trafoi. On the northeast side, about 25 km of climbing include 48 numbered hairpin bends, and at the top you face the glaciers of the Ortler massif. The summit has restaurants, souvenir shops and the famous grilled sausage stands. The west side descends about 40 bends to the spa town of Bormio. You can also leave the summit area via the Umbrail Pass into Switzerland's Münstertal to form a loop. The pass road is open only in summer, with a maximum gradient of about 12% and very narrow bends that make passing large vehicles difficult. On summer weekends, cars, motorcycles and cyclists are very numerous, so it is best to start the climb before 8 a.m. The pass is a regular stage of the Giro d'Italia, and on some days cyclists have dedicated time slots. The summit is more than 15 °C cooler than the valley, so bring a jacket.
Along the route
- Bolzano (South Tyrol)
- Bolzano (South Tyrol)
- Prato allo Stelvio
- Trafoi
- Bormio
- Bormio