STELVIO PASS, STRADA DELLA FORRA ROAD, AND LAKE GARDA TOUR
On this motorcycle tour, the main attractions will be riding your motorcycle through the Italian Alps, the impressive Stelvio Pass, and then the legendary Forra Road Strada Della Forra on the western shore of Lake Garda. On these heart-pounding roads with endless bends, hairpins, and sharp switchbacks, you will enjoy breathtaking views and beautiful landscapes!
In addition, you will cross Jaufenpass Passo di Giovo 2,094 meters a.s.l., Gavia Pass Passo di Gavia 2,618 meters .a.s.l., Campo Carlo Magno Pass 1,682 meters .a.s.l., Mendelpass Passo Della Mendola 1,363 meters a.s.l., Penserjoch Passo Pennes 2,211 meters a.s.l.
Also, you will pass next to Lake Idro, Lake Santa Giustina, the city of Merano, and the alpine village of Madonna di Campiglio.
Vipiteno, an exit on the Brenner Motorway, will be the starting point for this motorcycle tour of "Stelvio Pass, Forra Road, and Lake Garda". Left the exit, turn towards Merano: you will first cross Jaufenpass Passo di Giovo, 2,094 meters a.s.l. before getting to Merano, an elegant, refined town with many parks and gardens and a lovely historic core that stands out for its noble Art Nouveau buildings and ancient medieval arcades.
Keep on riding your motorcycle west crossing first the beautiful South Tyrolean Alps and then follow the road that will begin to climb up towards the most exciting high alpine pass known as the famous Stelvio Pass (Passo Dello Stelvio in Italian or Stilfser Joch in German. Stelvio pass, 2,758 meters a.s.l., is the undisputed king of the Italian Alps and one of the most beloved passes in the whole Alpine area by the Italian and international motorcyclists! Stelvio pass is likely one of the most scenic drives and also one of the most photographed roads in the world.
Once left behind the village of Prato Dello Stelvio, the road will lead you through 48 breathtaking hairpin bends offering awesome sceneries over the Ortles-Cevedale mountains and the Ortles peak, 3,950 meters a.s.l. After crossing Stelvio Pass the road will take you downwards through another 42 exciting hairpin bends and also some annoying tunnels, fortunately, well-lit and with good road condition.
Now it is time to point your motorcycle towards Gavia Pass first and then head in the direction of Lake Garda. On your way, you will pass next to Lake Idro of glacial origins, the smallest Lombard lake squished between high mountains offering spectacular panoramas. Now, some more kilometers and you are about to reach Lake Garda, exactly its western shore called "Gardesana Occidentale".
From Gardesana turn off onto the road SP38, the legendary Strada Della Forra (Forra Road). Mr.Winston Churchill called it the eighth wonder of the world and Mr.James Bond drove here at full speed his Aston Martin in the movie "Quantum of Solace". We simply believe this is one of the most beautiful roads in the world where to ride a motorcycle!
Riding along Strada Della Forra road you will reach the southernmost point of this motorcycle tour "Stelvio Pass, Forra Road, and Lake Garda". So, now let's head northward and get back to Vipiteno, which was the departure location of this tour.
The road you will now follow will take you through some impressive alpine passes and ski resorts like:
- Campo Carlo Magno Pass (Passo Campo Carlo Magno) 1,682 meters a.s.l.,
- Madonna di Campiglio, one of the most famous ski resorts in the Italian Alps
- Mendelpass (Passo della Mendola) 1,363 meters a.s.l., (15 narrow hairpin bends while climbing)
- Penserjoch (Passo Pennes) - with a spectacular panoramic road that winds up to 2,211 meters a.s.l. to the pass.
Tour Length: 613 km
Time: about 14 hours
