Another scenic pass, near the Stelvio pass
Drivers, the Stelvio pass is a well-known terrific pass to drive, for the scenery and the driving.
What's another notable pass within a couple of hours?
The only obvious ones to me are the Hahntennjoch and the San Bernadino pass.
Perhaps locals would know other Great Passes in that neck of the woods?
(Unfortunately I could not find a comprehensive "passes of Europe" map. Alert! User Relaxed has found just that.)
Best Answer
Wikipedia in German has an extensive list of alpine passes. There are similar links in English and French but the German one can easily be superimposed on Open Street Maps, Google Maps or Bing Maps. You could use those maps to explore by yourself.
A few notable passes are:
- The Iséran, Galibier, Umbrail and the Stelvio itself, because of their high altitude. The Col de l'Iséran is in the middle of the best preserved part of the French Alps (the Vanoise national park, the first national park created in France, together with the Gran Paradiso in Italy the largest protected area in Western Europe). See also Wikipedia's list of highest paved roads in the Alps.
- The Brenner, historically one of the most important paths across the Alps, because of its relatively low altitude.
- The col du Montgenèvre is quite far from the Stevio, less well-known and perhaps less spectacular but it is historically notable as one of the main passes used by the Romans (together with the Brenner). The Mont Cenis was also important.
- The St. Gotthard, Great St. Bernard, Simplon, and Septimer are the most important passes in Switzerland.
Pictures about "Another scenic pass, near the Stelvio pass"
How many switchbacks does Stelvio have?
The Stelvio numbers out most roads by the sheer endless number of switchbacks. OKAY, not really endless: its 48 SWITCHBACKS to be exact.Which country is home to scenic Stelvio Pass?
Stelvio Pass, Italian Giogo Dello Stelvio, German Stilfser Joch, Alpine pass (9,042 feet [2,756 m]) at the northwest base of the Ortles mountain range in northern Italy near the Swiss border.Is Stelvio Pass in the Dolomites?
Climbing big mountains by bike is one of the cruelest yet most rewarding things you can do using your body's athletic abilities. Some climbs become lifetime goals and conquering them fills the imagination of any rider who has embraced mountain riding.Where does Stelvio Pass start and finish?
Tucked away in northern Italy, on the border with Switzerland, the pass is 46.8 km (29.08 miles) long, running from Bormio (Province of Sondrio) to Prato Allo Stelvio (in South Tyrol).Stelvio Pass , all 46 bends ..!! May 22
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Answer 2
A little bit further away (but still in the couple hours limit would be the Grimsel and the Furka pass roads.
The picture shows the view from the Grimsel pass road on the Furka pass road. If you cross the Grimsel, you will have quite a nice view on a lake and you can visit a fortress that's build there.
From there back to Italy (via Ticino), you could then drive over the Nufenen pass.
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Images: Antony Trivet, Antony Trivet, Mikkel Kvist, Antony Trivet