Italy, Lombardy, Italy
Cycling's cruellest climb doubles as a brutally steep, tightly hairpinned driving test.
Length
12.5 km
In miles
7.8 mi
Driving time
23 min
Atlas rating
8.7 / 10
The run
Mazzo di Valtellina to Monno. Drive it in either direction, though the views usually favour the climb.
Season
Snow possible December to March
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 28 June 2026
Nearby
19 km away
Passo di Gavia
A narrow, unguarded ribbon past Lago Nero that feels wilder than its famous neighbour.
27 km away
Bernina Pass
Glaciers hang over the road as it threads past turquoise Lago Bianco to the Poschiavo valley.
34 km away
Passo dello Stelvio
Eighty four hairpins stacked above the treeline make this Europe's most theatrical mountain pass.
34 km away
Passo dell'Umbrail
Switzerland's link into the Stelvio is a quieter alternative with the same drama.
42 km away
Passo Crocedomini
A wild single track crossing between Val Camonica and the Val Sabbia.
49 km away
Maloja Pass
Tight zigzags drop dramatically off the Engadine plateau toward the Italian border.
Plan around it
Curated drives
Italy, Dolomites
The Great Dolomites Drive
Four legendary passes strung between limestone cathedrals, the definitive alpine day.
Italy, Italian Alps
Stelvio Pass
Forty-eight numbered hairpins stacked like a staircase into the sky.
Italy, Lake Garda
Lake Garda Mountain Loop
Gardesana corniche tunnels, then a climb into olive terraces above the water.
A to B journeys
4 days
London to Lake Garda
The classic run south from England to the Italian lakes, taken the long way through the Alps rather than straight down the autoroute.
4 days
London to The Dolomites
The best pass driving in Europe sits at the end of this one, reached through Germany and Austria rather than Switzerland.
2 days
Munich to Lake Como
A short journey with an outrageous amount of great road packed into it, including the Stelvio if the season allows.
Longer journeys
4h 15m
The Great Dolomites Drive
Four legendary passes strung between limestone cathedrals, the definitive alpine day.
1h 30m
Stelvio Pass
Forty-eight numbered hairpins stacked like a staircase into the sky.
3h 20m
Lake Garda Mountain Loop
Gardesana corniche tunnels, then a climb into olive terraces above the water.