Road collection
These are the roads where the view wins the argument. Every one scores 9.6 or more out of 10 for scenery.
30 roads, ranked
1. United Kingdom, Applecross, Scottish Highlands
Britain's highest road climbs via hairpins to a wild moonscape pass above Applecross.
Tornapress to Applecross, 18.5 km (11.5 miles). Driving 9.8/10, scenery 9.9/10.
2. Italy, Lombardy and South Tyrol, Italy
Eighty four hairpins stacked above the treeline make this Europe's most theatrical mountain pass.
Bormio to Prato allo Stelvio, 49 km (30.4 miles). Driving 9.8/10, scenery 9.9/10.
3. Romania, Fagaras Mountains
Ceausescu's mountain folly, the most photographed hairpin stack in Europe.
Bascov to Cartisoara, 90 km (55.9 miles). Driving 9.9/10, scenery 9.9/10.
4. Austria, Salzburg and Carinthia, Austria
Austria's grandest high alpine road climbs to Franz Josefs Hohe beneath the country's tallest peak.
Bruck an der Grossglocknerstrasse to Heiligenblut, 48 km (29.8 miles). Driving 9.7/10, scenery 9.9/10.
5. Italy, Campania, Italy
A cliffside ribbon of hairpins clinging above turquoise water and pastel towns.
Sorrento to Vietri sul Mare, 50 km (31.1 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 10/10.
6. France, Alpes-Maritimes, France
A looping summit road above 2800 metres that circles the peak itself for maximum theatre.
Jausiers to Saint-Etienne-de-Tinee, 24 km (14.9 miles). Driving 9.6/10, scenery 9.8/10.
7. Norway, More og Romsdal, Norway
Eleven hairpins claw up a sheer valley wall beneath waterfalls and the Trolltindene peaks.
Andalsnes to Valldal, 20 km (12.4 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.9/10.
8. South Africa, Karoo
A hand built dry stone gravel pass twisting through folded red rock strata.
Prince Albert to Oudtshoorn, 24 km (14.9 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.8/10.
9. United States, Montana and Wyoming
Swaths of switchbacks climb to 3337 metres past alpine lakes and snowfields.
Red Lodge to Cooke City, 109 km (67.7 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.9/10.
10. India, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh
Five Himalayan passes, thin air and a plateau that feels like another planet.
Manali to Leh, 428 km (265.9 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.9/10.
11. Italy, Dolomites
Four Dolomite passes in a single circuit of the Sella massif, the finest loop in Europe.
Canazei to Canazei, 55 km (34.2 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.9/10.
12. Italy, Lombardy, Italy
A narrow, unguarded ribbon past Lago Nero that feels wilder than its famous neighbour.
Bormio to Ponte di Legno, 31 km (19.3 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.6/10.
13. Italy, Trentino and South Tyrol, Italy
Sheer Dolomite towers on both sides make this short link one of the world's great scenic drives.
Canazei to Selva di Val Gardena, 11 km (6.8 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.9/10.
14. Italy, Veneto, Italy
Twenty nine hairpins climb to a wide open saddle ringed by the jagged Cinque Torri.
Cortina d'Ampezzo to Colle Santa Lucia, 17 km (10.6 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.8/10.
15. France, Savoie and Hautes-Alpes, France
The spine of the Route des Grandes Alpes, a relentless climb to one of driving's holiest summits.
Valloire to Col du Lautaret, 18.1 km (11.2 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.7/10.
16. France, Var, France
Cliff hugging ledge road staring straight down into Europe's grandest limestone canyon.
Aiguines to Comps-sur-Artuby, 24 km (14.9 miles). Driving 9.2/10, scenery 9.9/10.
17. France, Savoie, France
The roof of the Route des Grandes Alpes, a stark granite amphitheatre above 2700 metres.
Val-d'Isere to Bonneval-sur-Arc, 16 km (9.9 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.7/10.
18. France, Corse-du-Sud, Corsica, France
Impossibly narrow ledge road through blood red granite pinnacles above the Gulf of Porto.
Porto to Piana, 12 km (7.5 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.9/10.
19. Spain, Mallorca, Spain
A driver's icon that loops through a knotted 270 degree hairpin down to the cove.
Coll dels Reis to Sa Calobra, 12 km (7.5 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.7/10.
20. Norway, More og Romsdal, Norway
Hairpins spiral down to the Geirangerfjord past waterfalls with names like the Seven Sisters.
Grotli to Geiranger, 106 km (65.9 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.9/10.
21. Croatia, Biokovo, Dalmatia
A single track climb from sea level to 1762 metres above the Makarska Riviera.
Makarska to Sveti Jure summit, 23 km (14.3 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.8/10.
22. Romania, Parang Mountains
Romania's highest road runs along bare alpine ridgelines with almost no barriers.
Novaci to Sebes, 148 km (92 miles). Driving 9.6/10, scenery 9.7/10.
23. Norway, Rogaland
Twenty seven hairpins drop 900 metres to the head of the Lysefjord.
Sirdal to Lysebotn, 30 km (18.6 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.6/10.
24. Turkey, Bayburt to Trabzon
Thirteen stacked hairpins on a cliff face make this one of the world's scariest roads.
Of to Bayburt, 106 km (65.9 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.6/10.
25. New Zealand, Fiordland
A glacial valley run to the Homer Tunnel and a fiord surrounded by vertical rock.
Te Anau to Milford Sound, 119 km (73.9 miles). Driving 9.2/10, scenery 9.9/10.
26. United States, Utah
Slickrock, the Hogback ridge with drops both sides, and red canyon after red canyon.
Panguitch to Torrey, 198 km (123 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.8/10.
27. Montenegro, Bay of Kotor
Twenty five stacked hairpins climbing straight off the fjord to a mountain plateau.
Kotor to Njegusi, 20 km (12.4 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.8/10.
28. Italy, Gran Paradiso
The road from the Italian Job, hairpins to a lake plateau at 2600 metres.
Ceresole Reale to Nivolet, 20 km (12.4 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.8/10.
29. Switzerland, Bernese Oberland
Three of the best passes in the Alps stitched into one loop back to the same valley.
Innertkirchen to Innertkirchen, 120 km (74.6 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.7/10.
30. Italy, Trentino and South Tyrol, Italy
Twenty eight numbered hairpins climb to the highest paved point of the Dolomites road network.
Canazei to Arabba, 13 km (8.1 miles). Driving 9.2/10, scenery 9.7/10.
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