The road of 48 hairpin bends
At 2,757 metres, the Stelvio Pass is the highest paved road pass in Italy and the second highest in the Alps. It links Bormio, in Lombardy, with the Val Venosta in South Tyrol and was built between 1820 and 1825 by the Austrian Empire, which needed a military road to connect Lombardy-Venetia with Tyrol. Its engineer, Carlo Donegani, created a masterpiece of mountain road building.
The pass is famous for its hairpin bends: on the South Tyrolean side, the 48 numbered tornanti climb from Trafoi to the top in a spectacular zigzag on the mountainside, one of the most photographed roads in the world; the Lombard side, from Bormio, has about 40 more through tunnels and galleries. The Stelvio is a legend for cyclists, who climb it during the Giro d'Italia, where it is often the "Cima Coppi", the highest point of the race, and for motorcyclists. At the top, among hotels and stalls, there are views of the Ortles glacier, the highest peak in Lombardy and South Tyrol, and summer skiing on the glacier. The pass is in the heart of the Stelvio National Park, with marmots, ibex and eagles.
Tip: the road is open only from late May or June to October or November, depending on snow; at weekends in summer some days are reserved for cyclists.
Where it is
More things to see in Lombardy
Where to stay near Bormio
Tours and activities nearby
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