what the heck, i can type this article up its that small
1) Stelvio pass. Topping out at some 2757m the stelvio pass isnt the highest driveable road in Europe. Both the Col De I'lseran (2770m) and the Col De Bonnette (2802m) - both also in the Alps - are higher, but neither can match the Stelvio for scenery or drama
With the Ortles mountain range forming a physical boundary between Austria, Switzerland and Italy, this region has long been of vital strategic importance. At the time the pass was built - over a five year period beginnning in 1820 - the Stelvio was originally situated within austria, but the South Tyrol province was transferred to Italian control after WW1 and with it came the Stelvio. Whether you approach from the south (from Bormio) or the north (from Trafoi). You are entering hairpin heaven, with 60 switchbacks in total. On the southern side the road is faster, its sweeping curves and tunnells clinging to the craggy face of the Braulio ravine. If you want to stretch your car, this is the side for you.
However, if hairpins are your thing, then the northern approach is exceptional, with a seemingly endless succession of 48 savage turns and relentless steep gradient. You'll have to watch out for cyclists and motorcycles, both of whom seem to prefer this side of the Stelvio, and you'll also need to be carefull not to scrap your car's nose on the road in the tightest turns as the ramp angles can get pretty crazy.
If you're planning a trip, look for the S38 from Bormio. There's a hotel at the summit, allthough you might wish to descend to a more hospitable and oxygen-rich environment.
The pass isnt loughed during the winter months, which means its unlikely to open for traffic much earlier than june. while the first significant snow falls usually see it closed from October. unless you're visiting in the height of summer, check the road is open before you travel
2) Klausen Pass, switzerland. Venue for 1 of the greatest pre-war mountain climbs of them all, where the silver arros of mercedes-benz and Auto Union idd battle, the Kllausenrennnen is a gem of a road tucked away in a region tangled with apline passes.
Reacing a maximum elevation of 1952m, the Klausen Pass is nestled amongst much higher peaks, the most monumental of which is the 3267M Mont Clariden.
To find the road you need to head south from switzerlands banking capital, Zurich, on the A3. heading for the mountain village of Linthal. From here the road heads towards Altsford some 13.4 miles away, where you'll find the finish and plenty of tourist tat. In between are no fewer than 136 corners - 35 of which are hairpins - a tunnel, a fast striaght and some of the most breathtaking views in Switzerland
3) Grossglockner, Austria. Another pre-war mountain climb venue, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road is now a toll road in the middel of the Hohe Tauern National Park. Close the ski resorts of Kitzbuhel and Schladming, the road is just under 21 miles long and is open from the end of April to the end of October.
Though it lacks the intense, snaking nature of the Klausen and Stelvio, the 2504m high Grossglockner compensates with smooth, flowing tarmc and a panormic view. At the fuscher Torl - a memorial to those who died building the road in the 1930s, - you can see no fewer than 37 separate mountain peaks
4) St Gotthard pass, Switzerland. Our regular passage to Italy, the 2108m St Gotthard pass is an invigorating alternative to the stifling subterranean confines of the 10 mile long St Gotthard Tunnel. If you're heading from Switzerland into Italy, take the well signed spur off the autoroute and ready yourself for an absorbing climb, dotted with hairpins and some acoustically entertaining tunnels, as you work your way up for the foreboding rock face and onto the snowy plateau.
Theres a museum, a restaurant and a hotel at the top, which is a usefull place to stop before enjoying the eerie journey across the snowfield and then attacking the fabulously smooth, fast and well-sighted descent on the approach to the Italian border. If you're brave you'll also explore the old cobbled road, which branches off and then rejoins the modern road on top.
Phew thats the entire article
