Nineteen of the World’s Greatest Driving Roads
From the Transfagarasan in Romania to the Pacific Coast Highway, these roads offer a blend of technical challenge, scenery and pure driving satisfaction for enthusiasts.
Some roads are more than just a route from A to B. For keen drivers, a handful of highways and mountain passes around the world have become destinations in their own right, offering a blend of technical challenge, dramatic scenery and the sort of driving satisfaction that rarely survives modern traffic and regulation.
The following list covers 19 of the greatest driving roads on earth, each with its own character. Some are famous for their sweeping bends and elevation changes, others for the sheer spectacle of their surroundings or the legend that has grown around them. Not all are easy to reach, and some demand serious respect from anyone attempting to drive them.
Iconic mountain passes and high-altitude challenges
- Transfagarasan Highway (Romania): Built across the Fagaras Mountains, this 90km route is famed for dramatic switchbacks, steep climbs and panoramic views. It reaches 2,034 metres at its highest point.
- Stelvio Pass (Italy): With 48 hairpin turns on its northern side, the Stelvio Pass is a classic Alpine challenge, popular with drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists alike.
- Trollstigen (Norway): Known as the Troll’s Path, this serpentine road climbs through the Romsdal mountains with 11 hairpins and a steep 10% gradient, ending at a viewing platform overlooking the Stigfossen waterfall.
- Grimsel Pass (Switzerland): Linking the Rhone and Haslital valleys, the Grimsel Pass is a high-altitude route at 2,165 metres, with sweeping bends and glacier views.
- Los Caracoles Pass (Chile/Argentina): This stretch of Route 60 features a series of tight hairpins as it climbs the Andes, often snowbound and lacking guardrails.
Coastal routes and scenic highways
- Pacific Coast Highway (California, US): Running along the Pacific coastline, this route offers ocean views, cliffs and a series of winding sections between Monterey and Morro Bay.
- Great Ocean Road (Australia): Spanning 243km along Victoria’s southern coast, it’s known for limestone stacks called the Twelve Apostles and sweeping ocean vistas.
- Hana Highway (Maui, Hawaii): A 60-mile drive with over 600 bends and 54 one-lane bridges, passing waterfalls and rainforests on the way to Hana.
- Overseas Highway (Florida Keys, US): This 127-mile route hops from key to key via 42 bridges, surrounded by turquoise waters.
Extreme roads and legendary challenges
- North Yungas Road (Bolivia): Dubbed the Road of Death, this narrow, cliff-edge route is notorious for its accident history and dramatic drop-offs.
- Guoliang Tunnel Road (China): Carved through a mountain by villagers, this tunnel road is narrow, rough and visually striking, with windows opening onto sheer drops.
- Col de Turini (France): A fixture of the Monte Carlo Rally, this Alpine pass is famous for its tight corners and unpredictable weather.
- Chapman’s Peak Drive (South Africa): Hugging cliffs above the Atlantic, this 9km route features 114 curves and breathtaking views.
European classics and lesser-known gems
- Atlantic Road (Norway): A short but spectacular drive linking islands with bridges that appear to leap over the waves.
- Route Napoleon (France): Following Napoleon’s march north from Cannes, this route snakes through the Alps with a mix of sweeping and technical corners.
- Sani Pass (South Africa/Lesotho): A gravel mountain pass with steep gradients and hairpins, accessible only to 4x4s.
- Furka Pass (Switzerland): A favourite for its sweeping bends and as a filming location for the James Bond film Goldfinger.
What makes a road great for driving?
The best driving roads combine technical challenge, minimal traffic, engaging scenery and a sense of occasion. Many are closed in winter or require careful planning due to weather, remoteness or border crossings. Some, like the North Yungas Road or Guoliang Tunnel, are as much about the drama and danger as the drive itself. Others, such as the Pacific Coast Highway, are best enjoyed at a relaxed pace, taking in the scenery.
