Just like a garden is only as good as its soil, or a place is only as good as it’s people, a car is only as good as the road underneath it and whether you’re into grand tourers, sporty hatchbacks or just bundling the family into the back of the MPV, seeking out great roads can make a long drive into an epic adventure! The only real question is where to find these fabulous drives, and to help you get on your way, here’s GoMotorTrade’s guide to the best drives experienced around the world…
California’s Pacific Coast Highway
If you’re into natural beauty, California has it in abundance. While the tarmac is tremendous, you won’t notice: there is so much to see on the way from San Diego to San Francisco. As you move north you notice the desert like terrain become more lush and green and the water just seems to get bluer. The highway more or less follows the cost the entire way, so stop and enjoy at your leisure.
Italy’s Stelvio Pass
The ‘Stelvio’ is known famously as BBC Top Gear’s choice for the best driving road in the world and with extremely good reason! It’s a winding, open climb featuring an enormous 78 hairpins which have hosted Stirling Moss as well as numerous Giri de Italia and the Bormio winter Olympic games. History, great tarmac and, hopefully, beautiful sunshine. Check that either your car insurance or your GoMotorTrade allows you to travel into Switzerland as the top is only 200m from the Italian-Swiss border.
Trollstigen, Norway
Literally the “troll ladder” is nowhere near as ugly as it sounds. It’s a tremendous, windy single carriageway around the Norwegian Fjords. The gradient is sharp at 9%, but reaching the summit will give you the best view of the waterfall cascading in the valley below. It’s also the perfect excuse to just turn around and drive back down…
Cruise the Cape, South Africa
Cape Town has become popular for tourists in recent years and with good reason. The meeting of the Indian and Atlantic oceans and the harmony of European and African culture makes for a spectacular visit. Umpteen routes can be found around the Cape, but the best route takes in Somerset West, Muizenburg, Hout Bay and the glorious Cape Point. You’ll have to pay to enter the national park, but you won’t feel short changed!
Backroads in the Basque Country
For years Brits have flocked to the South of Spain but the Basque North remains a top driving destination. While the trip from Bilbao to San Sebastian and on the picturesque St Jean de Luz in France is only a short distance, the costal roads are beautifully kept and you’ll be treated to incredible tarmac and fantastic sea scenery. The Gaztelugatxe monastery is truly a wonder and well worth the driving time.
While these are our favourites, there are plenty of stunning roads all over the world yet to be discovered by drivers. If you’re looking for something a little out of the ordinary then Japan, China, Argentina and Morocco are all becoming favourite destinations for drivers with itchy feet, so don’t take our word for it…get out there!
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