30 Scenic Roads That Will Take Your Breath Away: The Ultimate Must-Drive Routes
Have you ever wanted a road trip beyond the ordinary? There are roads that offer breathtaking views, daring adventures, and stunning landscapes. These are the world’s most scenic drives.
Unlike regular roads, the ones chosen by dangerousroads.org are special. Get ready for a spectacular ride. As you plan your next trip, consider these amazing roads. From coastal routes to mountain passes, these roads take you through some of Earth’s most beautiful places. Sometimes, the journey itself is the highlight. We’ve found the most beautiful and unique road trips worldwide, each offering unforgettable experiences.
Strada della Forra
The Strada della Forra, or Strada dell'Orrido, is a highly scenic 9.1 km (5.65 miles) paved road in Lombardy, Italy, along Lake Garda. Carved into a gorge by the Brasa River and completed in 1913, it's an engineering marvel praised by Winston Churchill. Known for narrow passages, tight bends, and tunnels, this challenging road demands skilled drivers and a functioning horn due to blind corners and potential rock slides. Since 2020, a one-way uphill system operates from April to November (10:00-19:00). Its dramatic landscape gained international fame from the James Bond film Quantum of Solace and numerous car commercials.
Atlantic Road
The Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsvegen) in midwest Norway is an 8.274-meter asphalt coastal drive, globally renowned for its scenic beauty. Opened in 1989, it features eight bridges that curve dramatically over the Norwegian Sea, creating a roller-coaster-like experience. Built across small islands, it offers unique open-sea views and is popular for road trippers, motorcyclists, and anglers. Designated a Cultural Heritage Site and National Tourist Route, it's celebrated as the "Norwegian Construction of the Century." While breathtaking, it can be challenging during storms and has appeared in films like No Time to Die and Black Widow, and many car commercials. It remains open year-round, despite harsh weather.
Stelvio Pass
The Stelvio Pass (Passo dello Stelvio) in northern Italy is one of Europe's highest and most challenging paved mountain roads, peaking at 2,757m (9,045ft). Constructed between 1820 and 1825, this 46.8 km (29.08 miles) pass is famous for its 60 hairpin turns, with 48 on the eastern (Prato) side, making it an iconic and highly photographed route. Driving it takes about 1.2 hours non-stop. This engineering marvel demands skilled driving due to its narrow sections, steep inclines (averaging 7.1-7.4%), and tunnels managed by traffic lights. Typically open from June to September, it's also a grueling inclusion in the Giro d'Italia cycling race.
Combe Laval
Combe Laval is a spectacular "balcony road" in France's Drôme department, within the Vercors Massif. Built between 1861 and 1898 for timber transport, the D76 road spans 29.9 km (18.57 miles) from Saint-Jean-en-Royans to Vassieux-en-Vercors. Its most dramatic section cuts into cliffs via eleven narrow tunnels and metallic roadways. Recognized as one of the most magnificent roads in the French Alps and a national heritage site, Combe Laval offers dizzying panoramic views over the Royans Valley. Incredibly scenic yet challenging and potentially dangerous with narrow sections and sheer drops, it's considered a "place of nightmares for the squeamish." It's primarily for cyclists and unsuitable for longer vehicles, with occasional closures.
Gorges du Dadès
The Gorges du Dadès, located in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains, offers a stunning and challenging scenic drive through a canyon carved by the Dadès River. The R704 Road, 60.8 km (37.77 miles) from M'Semrir to Boumalne Dades, is famous for its dramatic landscapes, unique rock formations, kasbahs, and numerous hairpin turns. While providing breathtaking views comparable to the Grand Canyon, it's not for the faint of heart, featuring steep drops with no barriers and a reputation as one of the world's most dangerous roads due to its gradient. Night driving or poor visibility is not recommended. The best time to visit is March-May for lower valleys, and May-July for mountains.
Transfăgărășan
The Transfăgărășan (DN7C), a 90 km (55.92 miles) paved road in Romania's Southern Carpathian Mountains, is renowned as one of the world's most scenic and thrilling drives. Built between 1970 and 1974 as a strategic military route, it features 80 hairpin turns, 5 tunnels (including Romania's longest unlit tunnel), and over 500 bridges. Reaching 2,042m (6,699ft) at Pasul Bâlea, it offers stunning rugged mountain scenery and access to Bâlea Lake. Typically open from late June to late October due to heavy snow, this challenging road with sheer drops also provides access to Poienari fortress and is a popular setting for car commercials and films like Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
ER101 Antiga
The ER101 Antiga (Antiga Estrada Regional 101) is a remarkably scenic and historic one-way road on Madeira Island's northern coast, Portugal. Built after WWII, this paved coastal route is famous for dramatic cliffs, rock-carved tunnels, and waterfalls, affectionately known as a "free car wash." During storms, waves can even sweep over sections. Despite its beauty, it's challenging and dangerous due to narrowness, steep sections, and rockfall risks, with some collapsed portions. While modernized in parts, sections between Sao Vicente and Boaventura remain accessible, offering breathtaking views of the coast and Atlantic. Safety concerns often limit sections to one-way traffic.
Overseas Highway
The Overseas Highway (southernmost U.S. 1) in the Florida Keys is a 181 km (113 miles) paved scenic drive connecting the mainland to Key West. It traverses 42 overseas bridges, including the iconic 10.887 km (6.765 miles) Seven Mile Bridge. Originally a 1912 railway, it became a highway after a 1935 hurricane, with major bridge replacements in 1982. Recognized as an All-American Road and a world-class scenic drive, it offers breathtaking ocean views and spectacular sunrises/sunsets. While generally safe, its long over-water stretches can cause anxiety, and it's vulnerable to hurricanes. The 2-hour drive (one-way) has been featured in films like 2 Fast 2 Furious and License to Kill.
Hana Highway
The Hana Highway on Maui, Hawaii, is an 84 km (52 miles) paved road renowned as one of the world's most scenic drives. Completed in 1926 and fully paved by 1962, this serpentine coastal route features 617 turns and 56 bridges (46 one-lane). While generally safe, its constant winding, narrow sections, steep cliff drops, falling rocks, and frequent rain present a significant driving challenge. Despite the challenges, this 3-4 hour one-way drive (without stops) is highly recommended for its breathtaking views of Maui's northern coastline, lush rainforests, waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and tropical vegetation, offering numerous opportunities to stop and enjoy the scenery.
Million Dollar Highway
The Million Dollar Highway, part of Colorado's San Juan Skyway, is a 40 km (25 miles) exceptionally scenic yet notoriously dangerous road connecting Silverton to Ouray. Built in the late 1880s, it’s famous for its lack of guardrails, narrow lanes, steep cliffs, and exposure to sheer drops, especially the 19 km (12 miles) section through the Uncompahgre Gorge. The 42-minute drive (non-stop) traverses three high mountain passes and is challenging due to tight turns, black ice, and avalanches. Despite risks, it remains a beloved drive with unforgettable views of the San Juan Mountains. Its name's origin is debated, possibly from high construction cost or gold ore.
Bealach na Bà
Bealach na Bà, on Scotland's Applecross peninsula, is an 17.86 km (11.1 miles) entirely paved mountain road, a world-renowned scenic and challenging drive. Built in 1822 and paved by 1950, its Scottish Gaelic name means "pass of the cattle." This single-track road rises to 626m (2,054ft) with gradients up to 17%, characterized by sharp hairpin turns, narrow passages, and limited passing places. Its difficulty makes it unsuitable for beginner drivers and very large vehicles. Generally open year-round, it can close for weeks in winter due to heavy snow. Bealach na Bà has appeared in the TV series Hamish Macbeth and the 1953 film Laxdale Hall.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
The Going-to-the-Sun Road, an 80.46 km (50.0 miles) fully paved highway in Montana's Glacier National Park, is celebrated as one of the world's most scenic drives and an engineering marvel. Completed in 1932, it crosses the park from West Glacier to St. Mary, winding through diverse terrains and reaching Logan Pass (2,026m/6,646ft). This narrow, two-lane road is known for hairpin turns, steep drop-offs, and challenging spring snow removal. Typically open mid-June to mid-October, sections may close due to weather. Despite vehicle restrictions, it offers abundant scenic viewpoints and is highly recommended for experiencing the park's spectacular beauty in both directions.
Great Alpine Road
The Great Alpine Road (B500) in Victoria, Australia, is a 303 km (188 mi) paved scenic drive, recognized as Australia's highest year-round accessible sealed road and one of the world's most beautiful. Opened in 1998, it winds through mountains, valleys, and forests, connecting Wangaratta to Bairnsdale. The road features challenging sections, particularly the steep and twisty ascent to Mount Hotham (1,840m/6,040ft) and its subsequent descent. Care is required due to numerous hairpin bends and steep drops. It's unsuitable for towing caravans between Omeo and Harrietville. While generally open year-round, extreme winter weather can cause closures, and snow chains are compulsory during the official snow season.
Sa Calobra Road
Carretera Sa Calobra (MA-2141), known as the "Snake Road," is a 12.2 km (7.58 miles) exceptionally scenic and entirely paved drive in northwestern Mallorca, Spain. Designed by Antonio Parietti and built manually in 1932 to avoid tunnels, it winds through a rocky landscape with sections exceeding a 7% gradient, topping out at Coll dels Reis (682m / 2,237ft). Famous for its "Nus de Sa Calobra" (Knot of the tie)—a 270-degree curve passing under itself—this road is challenging and potentially dangerous due to numerous hairpin turns, narrow sections, and heavy summer traffic. The 25-35 minute drive offers unforgettable rocky landscapes and appeared in the film Cloud Atlas.
Col du Chaussy
Col du Chaussy is a high mountain pass in France's Savoie department, reaching 1,533m (5,029ft). Its entirely paved D77B road is famous for the "Lacets de Montvernier" ("Montvernier shoelaces"), an astonishing 3 km stretch with 17 tightly stacked hairpin turns ascending a cliff, built between 1928 and 1934. This challenging road, with an average 7.4% gradient, demands careful driving due to its narrowness and steep drop-offs. Highly recommended for experienced drivers and cyclists, its unique engineering and dramatic scenery, including panoramic views of the Belledonne Mountains, make it one of Europe's most spectacular and scenic "balcony roads," despite being lesser known.
Route de Presles
Route de Presles (D292) is a challenging yet spectacular 8.9 km (5.53 miles) paved "balcony road" in France's Isère department, connecting Pont-en-Royans to Presles. Known for its open tunnels and passages carved into rock, it features low/narrow lanes, blind corners, and landslide risks. Closed to larger vehicles, drivers must be prepared for oncoming traffic and potential fallen stones. While offering amazing panoramic views of the Hauts Plateaux du Vercors and Gorges de la Bourne from the Col de Toutes Aures belvedere, it requires caution and is prone to maintenance closures. The best time to drive this scenic route is May through September.
Col de Turini
Col de Turini is a high mountain pass at 1,610m (5,282ft) in France's Alpes-Maritimes department, part of the scenic Route des Grandes Alpes. This 44.9 km (27.89 miles) paved road (D2566) is renowned as one of the world's most scenic and challenging drives. It features 34 tight hairpin turns and steep gradients up to 9%, winding through deep pine forests. Its narrowness, blind corners, and rockfalls, coupled with potential snow/ice, make it treacherous. Col de Turini is legendary in rally history as a dangerous Monte Carlo Rally stage, known for the "night of the long knives," and has also featured in cycling races.
Cabot Trail
The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, Canada, is a 298 km (186 mi) asphalted loop drive on Cape Breton Island, widely considered one of the world's most scenic coastal routes. Named after John Cabot, it encircles the northern tip of the island, showcasing dramatic rocky coastlines, mountainous peaks, waterfalls, and vibrant bays. While the entire drive takes about five hours non-stop, a 3-5 day trip is recommended to fully enjoy the numerous scenic overlooks, cultural heritage sites, whale watching, and hiking trails. Drivers can opt for clockwise or counter-clockwise travel, each offering different advantages for views and traffic. It's open year-round, immersing visitors in natural beauty and Gaelic/Acadian cultures.
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road (B100) in Victoria, Australia, is a 242 km (150 miles) paved coastal highway, one of Australia's most famous and the world's most scenic drives. Built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, it serves as the world's largest war memorial. Running from Torquay to Allansford, it offers awe-inspiring limestone cliffs and rock formations. The two-lane road has limited overtaking, requiring drivers to use turnouts. The drive typically takes 3-4 hours non-stop, but more time is recommended to enjoy attractions, possibly with a smartphone audio tour. Its popularity means heavy traffic, especially on weekends, but the spectacular coastal views are well worth it.
Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway (AB-93) in Alberta, Canada, is a 231 km (144 miles) paved highway renowned as one of the world's most scenic drives. It winds north-south through Banff and Jasper National Parks, connecting Jasper to Lake Louise, offering breathtaking views of mountains, over 100 ancient glaciers, deep blue lakes, cascading waterfalls, and diverse wildlife. The parkway reaches its highest points at Bow Pass (2,088m / 6,850ft) and Sunwapta Pass (2,069m / 6,788ft). While generally open year-round, it experiences occasional winter closures due to heavy snowfall and avalanches, often requiring snow tires from mid-October to early May. A full day or two is recommended to explore its numerous viewpoints.
Chapman’s Peak Drive
Chapman’s Peak Drive, or “Chappies,” is a 9 km (5.59 miles) paved toll road on South Africa's Atlantic Coast, linking Hout Bay to Noordhoek. Built between 1915 and 1922, it's one of the world's most spectacular coastal drives, featuring 114 curves hacked into Chapman's Peak. The 20-25 minute drive (non-stop) offers unparalleled 180-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean and opportunities to spot whales, dolphins, and baboons. Despite its beauty, it requires cautious driving due to narrowness, sheer drops, and rockfalls, leading to a major revamp and reopening in 2003. It closes only during severe wind/rain, offering numerous picnic and viewing spots.
Suhua Highway
The Suhua Highway, on Taiwan's east coast between Hualien and Yilan counties, is a 118 km (73 miles) paved road recognized as one of Asia's and the world's most scenic drives. Opened in May 1932, it hugs steep cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean, offering breathtaking coastal views, including the famous Chingshui Cliffs. Despite its beauty, the highway is notoriously dangerous due to nasty curves, falling rocks, and landslides, especially during typhoon season (June-August) or after earthquakes. Drivers are advised to proceed slowly and cautiously, as large trucks often share the road and guardrails are minimal.
Causeway Coastal Route
The Causeway Coastal Route is a 212 km (130 miles) scenic road trip along Northern Ireland's rugged A2 road, recognized as one of the world's great road journeys. Stretching from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry, it offers stunning views and a diverse landscape of mountains, cliffs, waterfalls, and sandy beaches. Highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Giant's Causeway, Gleno waterfall, Magilligan Beach, and various Game of Thrones filming locations. While the continuous drive takes about three hours, 4-6 days are recommended to fully experience the numerous landmarks and cultural villages in the Glens of Antrim. The route has no tolls.
Ring Road
Route 1, known as the Ring Road, is a 1,332 km (828 mi) paved loop highway encircling Iceland, connecting its most populous areas including Reykjavík. Renowned as one of the world's most scenic drives, it offers an unforgettable adventure through varied landscapes like geothermal springs, waterfalls, glaciers, and rugged mountains. While mostly paved, short unpaved sections exist, along with blind curves and single-lane bridges. The drive takes 17-24 hours non-stop, but 7-10 days are recommended for exploration. Open year-round, some side roads may close in winter due to snow/volcanic activity. A 4x4 is recommended October-April. High season is June-August, offering long daylight hours.
Ruta CH-265
Ruta CH-265, in Chile's Aysén Region of Patagonia, is a 122 km (75.80 miles) road linking Puerto Guadal to Chile Chico. This predominantly unpaved route is celebrated as one of the world's most scenic drives, offering captivating views of General Carrera Lake, islands, and adjacent forests from its cliffside position. The drive, taking 2.5-3.5 hours non-stop, is challenging due to excessive dirt, stone, sand, steep hills, and dangerous curves. Its remote nature means no stores for 200 kilometers, so travelers must carry ample food. Despite risks from high-speed local drivers, the stunning views and wild beauty make it a highly rewarding experience.
Over-Water Highway
The Over-Water Highway, officially Gu Zhao overwater highway, is a 10.86 km (6.74 miles) motorway in China's Hubei province, notable for being entirely built over water. Considered one of the world's most scenic drives due to its unique construction, approximately 4.4 km (2.73 miles) of the highway, including Xiangxihe Bridge and Gufuhe Bridge, were constructed on elevated bridges along a river valley to avoid deforestation. Work began in 2013, opening to traffic in 2015, with an estimated total cost of $70 million. This innovative design offers drivers picturesque views of the surrounding mountains while literally traveling over water.
Port Jackson Road
Port Jackson Road, on New Zealand's North Island, is a 25.8 km (16.03 miles) remote, narrow, winding, unpaved gravel road leading to the beach town of Port Jackson. This challenging drive, renowned for its stunning coastal views and campsite, is considered one of the world's most scenic. It features dangerous drop-offs with no guardrails and narrow sections requiring caution, exacerbated by recent storm damage. A reliable 4WD is recommended, and those towing must be prepared to reverse. The drive takes about 1 hour non-stop. While quiet in winter, summer (mid-December to mid-January) sees high traffic, making an early start advisable, and it's not for beginner drivers then.
Ruta de los Volcanes
Ruta de los Volcanes, located in Timanfaya National Park on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, is a fully paved, 10 km (6.2 miles) one-way loop road. Built in 1968 by César Manrique and Jesús Soto, this extraordinary drive offers awe-inspiring views of volcanic cones, craters, and lava tubes. The road is quite narrow, and heavy traffic is expected in summer. Despite its sometimes crowded nature, the drive is highly recommended as it transports travelers through a barren, otherworldly, and surprisingly colorful volcanic landscape that truly resembles a lunar terrain, providing a unique and unforgettable journey.
Mount Barrow Road
Mount Barrow, in northeastern Tasmania, Australia, is accessed by the 16.1 km (10 miles) unpaved and challenging C404 (Mount Barrow Road) to its 1,359m (4,458ft) summit. This drive, one of the world's most scenic, is not for those uncomfortable with heights or twisty dirt roads. The first 10 km are well-maintained gravel; the remaining steep section (up to 16% gradient) with tortuous switchbacks is officially 4WD-only. The summit offers impressive panoramic views and hosts important transmission facilities. The road is prone to winter closures due to snow (above 1,100m) and can be in poor condition, making a 4WD recommended for safety. The drive takes 45-60 minutes non-stop.
Glacier Point Road
Glacier Point Road, a 26 km (16 miles) paved road in California's Mariposa County, is Yosemite National Park's most scenic drive and one of the world's most beautiful. Built in 1936, it connects Wawona Road to Glacier Point, a viewpoint at 2,199m (7,214ft). This curvy road offers stunning views of Yosemite's iconic landscapes. It typically closes after the first major winter storm in November and reopens in late May, though dates vary. While often crowded in summer, the panoramic vistas from Glacier Point, which feel like stepping into the clouds among Sierra Nevada peaks, make the drive well worth it. There are no gas stations along the road.
Forgotten World Highway
The Forgotten World Highway (State Highway 43) in New Zealand's North Island is a 149 km (92.58 miles) remote, mysterious, and highly scenic drive connecting Stratford to Taumarunui. Often considered one of the world's most beautiful drives, it is also known for being challenging. The road, mostly paved but with a significant unsealed section through the Tangarakau Gorge, winds through craggy landscapes, gorges, and dense forests. Its challenging nature, particularly the slippery gravel in Tangarakau Gorge, has led police to rank it among New Zealand's "10 worst roads." Completed in 1945, it is New Zealand's oldest heritage trail, often recommending a multi-day trip for full enjoyment.