6 fantastic road trips in Italy

The snaking drive along Italy’s vertiginous Amalfi Coast – preferably done in a vintage Alfa Romeo Spider – is the stuff of travel legend.

And it’s just one of dozens of epic road trip routes in this fascinating, richly layered country. Don’t let stories of impatient local drivers put you off, for the Italian countryside – from coastal cliffs to rolling vineyards to snow-capped peaks – is made for exploring by car. (And for stopping every few hundred yards to take yet another photo.)

With an extensive network of well-maintained roads that hug the sea, rise through rocky peaks and meander through bucolic farmland to scenic lakes and historic towns, pretty much every journey in Italy is a scenic odyssey. Still, some road trips stand out as being particularly memorable – and even if a few are more challenging for drivers than others, they all make for unforgettable experiences.

Here are six of the best road trips in Italy.

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1. Lake Como’s southern shore

Best for villas and vistas

Start/finish: Como/Bergamo
Approximate distance: 112km

Surrounded by Alpine peaks and wooded hills, famous Lake Como is the most picturesque of Italy’s northern lakes. This leisurely one-day drive takes in elegant art nouveau villas and lush waterfront gardens along the lake’s southern shoreline.

The obvious starting point is the town of Como itself. Once you've explored the charming historic center and the nearby Villa Olmo, take the swooping road up to Bellagio. At this charming lakeside village, you can explore the grounds of neoclassical Villa Melzi d’Eril and have lunch at Terrazza Barchetta.

Suitably refreshed, leave your car and jump on the ferry to Tremezzo, home of the 17th-century Villa Carlotta and its spectacular gardens. Back in Bellagio, pick up your wheels and strike southeast, following the scenic lakeside road down to Lecco and on to historic Bergamo, where you can rest up in style at Hotel Piazza Vecchia.

Planning tip: Time your visit for April and May, when the area is awash with spring color.

2. Cruising the Amalfi Coast

Best for coastal drama

Start/finish: Salerno/Sorrento
Approximate distance: 75km

On this white-knuckle drive along the Amalfi Coast, you can look forward to seeing some of Italy's most spectacular coastal scenery. From Salerno, the main southern gateway to the region, strike west to Vietri sul Mare, a small town famous for its ceramics and the starting point of the coastal road proper. From here, the driving becomes more challenging as the road narrows and the curves become tighter. And the views become ever more dramatic.

After about 20km, you’ll arrive in Amalfi, the coast’s main hub. Stop here to look around the landmark Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea, then head up to Ravello in the hills above. Pause for lunch here, perhaps at the Pizzeria Vittoria, and enjoy heady panoramas from the town’s lush gardens.

Next, push on to Positano, a chic, near-vertical town where colorful, steeply stacked houses cascade down the precipitous hillsides. Beyond Positano, the route leads inland, up and across the hilly interior to Sorrento, a lively tourist hot spot overlooked by the dark, brooding bulk of Mt Vesuvius.

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Planning tip: This is a popular drive, so try to come out of season to avoid peak traffic. With another day to spare, you can continue north to Naples via the ruins of Pompeii.

3. The Great Dolomites Road

Best for vertiginous views

Start/finish: Bolzano/Cortina d'Ampezzo
Approximate distance: 125km

The Grande Strada della Dolomiti provides some of Italy’s most exhilarating driving. Snaking through the dramatic Dolomites, the route passes by craggy, saw-tooth peaks and over lofty mountain passes.

From Bolzano, head eastward toward Ponte Nova, where you’ll get your first sight of the Dolomites’ mighty granite teeth. Continue to Val di Fassa, a magnificent valley framed by forested slopes and gigantic rock summits, and up to the 2239m Passo Pordoi. The descent from here is slow going, but you’ll be rewarded with stunning views as you corkscrew down to La Villa in the spectacularly sited Val Badia.

From here, you could push directly on to Cortina d’Ampezzo, the chic resort that marks the end of the road (and which will be a hub of the 2026 Winter Olympics). Yet for a more relaxed trip, stop for the night at the Dolomit Boutique Hotel and take some scenic detours around La Villa on day two.

Planning tip: This is serious country for outdoor activities, with superb winter skiing and wonderful summer hiking.

4. The heart of Tuscany

Best for art and architecture

Start/finish: Florence/Orvieto
Approximate distance: 210km

Taking in two of Italy’s great medieval cities, the wine treasures of Chianti and swathes of classic Tuscan scenery, this two-day route leads from Florence to Orvieto in the neighboring region of Umbria. Whet your appetite for the road ahead by feasting on fine art and Renaissance architecture in Florence, before striking south to Chianti wine country.

Stop for a tasting at the Enoteca Falorni in Greve and to sample the region’s celebrated bistecca (steak) at L’Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Panzano. From here, follow backroads to Siena, a stunning medieval city centered on a gorgeous Duomo and a 12th-century square, the famous Piazza del Campo. Recommended overnight options here include the Hotel Palazzo Ravizza.

In the morning, head to Montalcino to stock up on Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s most revered red vintages. A short drive to the east, the Val d’Orcia provides quintessential Tuscan landscapes with its billowing green hills, cypress trees and hilltop towns. Have lunch in Pienza, then continue through Montepulciano to Orvieto, a striking hilltop town famous for its remarkable Gothic Duomo.

Planning tip: While you could easily do this route in two days, consider adding an extra overnight stop to explore the region in more depth.

5. A southeastern Sicily meander

Best for exploring charming baroque towns

Start/finish: Catania/Ragusa
Approximate distance: 165km

Feast on UNESCO-listed baroque treasures on this two-day tour of Sicily’s rugged southeast. Start by investigating Catania’s rich historic center and brilliant fish market. After a seafood lunch, hit the road and make for Syracuse, where you can trawl through ancient Greco-Roman ruins at the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis and stroll elegant baroque streets in the Ortygia district. Overnight at the stylish Hotel Gutkowski.

On day two, continue on to Noto, home to what is arguably Sicily’s most beautiful street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, dotted with churches and charming cafes. Once you’ve digested this masterpiece of urban design, turn inland to Modica, a bustling town wedged into a deep canyon. Stock up on the town’s famous chocolates before pushing on through the rocky hinterland to Ragusa and its handsome historic center, known as Ragusa Ibla.

Planning tip: To round the trip off on a high note, treat yourself to a sumptuous tasting dinner at Chef Ciccio Sultano’s Duomo in Ragusa, one of Sicily's top restaurants. Book well ahead.

6. Highlights of Abruzzo

Best for unspoiled landscapes

Start/finish: Rome/Sulmona
Approximate distance: 240km

Just over an hour’s drive east of Rome, the little-known region of Abruzzo is a world apart from the big city, with wild, empty valleys and unspoiled mountain landscapes. From the capital, take the A24 autostrada to Fonte Cerreto, from where it’s a twisting climb up to Campo Imperatore, a highland plain overlooked by the Apennines’ highest peak, Corno Grande (2912m).

Continue on to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a remote, semi-abandoned village high in the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga. If you’re traveling during the weekend, you can lunch at the Locanda Sotto gli Archi; otherwise, pick up picnic supplies in the village.

In the afternoon, push on to Sulmona, a graceful town set in the shadow of the Morrone massif. Famous for local delicacy confetti (sugar-coated almonds), Sulmona makes a good base for exploring the region’s rugged southern reaches, offering good accommodation at the Legacy Residence and filling food at local restaurants such as Il Vecchio Muro.

Planning tip: Spend at least a day – preferably more – in Sulmona, exploring the surrounding hills by car or on foot away from the tourist crowds.