Lombardy · Italy
Gardesana Occidentale
SS45bisGargnano to Riva del Garda
A tunnel-and-cliff road along the west shore of Lake Garda.
The SS45bis Gardesana Occidentale clings to the cliffs along Lake Garda’s west shore between Gargnano and Riva del Garda, a dramatic run of galleries, tunnels and lake views carved into the rock. Narrow and busy; mind the bikes, the dark tunnels, and oncoming traffic on the bends.
The western shore of Lake Garda, threaded through tunnels and galleries blasted into the cliffs. A feat of 1930s engineering that has been a celebrated drive ever since.
Why we picked it
Where it runs17.4 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 5Elevation
approximateunder 4%4–8%over 8%59.4 – 468.2 mFrom the road
Points of interest3 stops
- Terrazza del BrividoViewpoint7.4 mi in
- Belvedere verso TorboleViewpoint13 mi in
- Belvedere degli innamoratiViewpoint17 mi in
Hazards
- Narrow, dark tunnels
- Cyclists and motorbikes
- Oncoming traffic on bends
Sources
“the most beautiful road in Europe”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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