The Stelvio Pass

You can’t not. Well, I can’t resist. If ever there was a road just begging to be driven, it’s the Stelvio Pass.

The road itself is pretty hair-raising – all those hairpins. The scenery is nothing short of fantastic. It ranges from typically attractive alpine views to those which look more like a lunar landscape.

This forty-plus mile stretch of curves, bends and undulations was built in the 1820s by the Austrian Empire and has really changed very little since.

It attracts drivers, as you can well imagine, and is also a popular route for bikers. Indeed, in August every year, the locality holds Bike Day when the road is closed to all traffic other than bikes. Generally, over 10,000 bike riders take part. It’s also popular with runners and recently marathons have been held on the pass.

For bikers, Ride International Tours are the specialists and they have a tour that takes in the Stelvio Pass – great if you’d rather have experts with you rather than going it alone. See their website.

Let’s see exactly where the pass is. See the map below.