Top scenic drives in Europe?

On Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:05:05 -0500, Dan Stephenson wroteÂ*:

Hi I am touring Europe by car and am seeking scenic drives. I am sure I
will stumble on many beautiful drives, but it wouldn't hurt to seek all
your opinions. To make a List. and because, who can resist putting in
their word on the matter?

Coast of Asturias, Picos de Europa

http://www.infoasturias.com/

http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Natu...pa?language=en

"Dan Stephenson" wrote in message
news:2009033022050575249-stephedanospam@maccom...
Hi I am touring Europe by car and am seeking scenic drives. I am sure I
will stumble on many beautiful drives, but it wouldn't hurt to seek all
your opinions. To make a List. and because, who can resist putting in
their word on the matter?

The two particular places I have a

the Troll Road in the Romsdalen valley in Norway,

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...22831&t=h&z=12


and
the Stelvio Pass in Italy (thanks to the Top Gear episode):

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...,0.114155&z=13



The Susten Pass in Switzerland is top of my list

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Eur...photo30747.htm

Keith

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:56:14 +0100, Mike Lane wrote in post :
edia.com :

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:32:45 +0100, Tim C. wrote
(in article ):

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:15:46 +0200, Frank Hucklenbroich wrote in post :
:

(you come
through Italy for a bit before you get back into Switzerland, so keep your
passport ready, as you will be checked)

You shouldn't be any more. Only when entering/leaving Lichtenstein.


I had my passport checked last year going by road from Germany to
Switzerland, but no checks entering or leaving Lichtenstein

Well yes you would. It wasn't in Schengen then was it?

Now Switzerland's in the Schengen area (and Liechtenstein isn't) you'll
need passports to get to and from FL, but not CH. Whether they've got all
the border checks in place on the CH/FL border yet I don't know.

--
Tim C.

On Wed, 1 Apr 2009 07:45:13 +0100, Tim C. wrote
(in article ):

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:56:14 +0100, Mike Lane wrote in post :
edia.com :

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:32:45 +0100, Tim C. wrote
(in article ):

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:15:46 +0200, Frank Hucklenbroich wrote in post :
:

(you come
through Italy for a bit before you get back into Switzerland, so keep your
passport ready, as you will be checked)

You shouldn't be any more. Only when entering/leaving Lichtenstein.


I had my passport checked last year going by road from Germany to
Switzerland, but no checks entering or leaving Lichtenstein

Well yes you would. It wasn't in Schengen then was it?

Now Switzerland's in the Schengen area (and Liechtenstein isn't) you'll
need passports to get to and from FL, but not CH. Whether they've got all
the border checks in place on the CH/FL border yet I don't know.



OK, I'd forgotten that.

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire

Pentaxuser wrote:
S Viemeister wrote:

A good
driving road is probably single track*, difficult, steep, lots of
bends (wide and hairpin) and above all its *quiet*.
Sounds like you're describing parts of Luxembourg, near Vianden.

Sounds even more like the north west of Scotland.

certainly same qualities but I've never found a Highland road as
difficult, but i have yet to search all the backwaters.

I could probably point you to a few difficult bits of road.

Pentaxuser wrote:
S Viemeister wrote:

certainly same qualities but I've never found a Highland road as
difficult, but i have yet to search all the backwaters.
I could probably point you to a few difficult bits of road.

i like steep single tracks with lots of hairpins :-)

Let me know when you plan your next trip to the NorthWest - I'll see if
I can get together a list for you.

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 04:05:05 +0100, Dan Stephenson wrote
(in article 2009033022050575249-stephedanospam@maccom):

Hi I am touring Europe by car and am seeking scenic drives. I am sure
I will stumble on many beautiful drives, but it wouldn't hurt to seek
all your opinions. To make a List. and because, who can resist
putting in their word on the matter?
[snip]

The countries I will definitely visit are Germany, Norway, Switzerland,
Italy, and Greece.


One of the famous scenic drives in Italy is the Great Dolomite Road from
Bolzano to Cortina. It's quite spectacular as it goes over more than one
quite high mountain pass, but it's also a mecca for bikers, cyclists, and
general tourists so it can be somewhat busy depending on the time of year,
and the passes themselves are a little on the tacky, touristy side. Worth
doing on the whole though.

I've found in Greece that one has to be wary sometimes of roads described on
maps and guides as 'scenic', since 'scenic' can sometimes be translated as
'terrifying' - i.e. single track roads round the edge of a mountain with a
rock face on one side and an unprotected sheer drop on the other. Main roads
are normally OK, but they tend not to be particularly scenic in Greece. Among
of the best drives I have found on the mainland are some of the minor roads
in the Peloponnese. These are usually reasonably safe and well maintained -
the ubiquitous camper-vans and other RVs can be a nuisance at times though.

There's a few photos of these roads here if you're interested:
http://gallery.me.com/mike_lane

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire

On 2009-04-01 01:45:13 -0500, "Tim C." said:

Now Switzerland's in the Schengen area (and Liechtenstein isn't) you'll
need passports to get to and from FL, but not CH. Whether they've got all
the border checks in place on the CH/FL border yet I don't know.

Does Liechtenstein's visa cost?
--
Dan Stephenson
Photos, movies, panos from the Europe, USA, plus N.Z.:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

(remove nospam from email address to reply via email)

On 2009-03-31 14:16:27 -0500, "tim....." said:


"Pentaxuser" wrote in message
...
Dan Stephenson wrote:

countries I will definitely visit are Germany, Norway, Switzerland,
Italy, and Greece.

What else? (thanks!)

Scottish west coast and islands

There's naught wrong with the North Coast (and the roads heading
inland) either - except that they are single track ;-(

tim

I consider that an advantage!

I know well the awesomeness, the AWESOMENESS of a drive through Wester
Ross. Totally amazing. My upcoming trip, though, will not include the
Britain or Ireland. I've visited them heavily on prior trips already.

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos, movies, panos from the Europe, USA, plus N.Z.:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

(remove nospam from email address to reply via email)

On 2009-03-31 06:00:21 -0500, "Tim C." said:

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:09:42 +0100, Pentaxuser wrote in post :
:

Dan Stephenson wrote:

(thanks to the Top Gear episode):

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUF-N8BsBmU"

The Col du Turini goes through to Cuneo in Italy and is extremely busy on
Sunday afternoons and during the week. That has to be one of the most
overrated roads in the Alps, and is nice if you like concrete.
The San Bernardino is one of my favourites. Only a British motorcar
journalist could "stumble" on the Flüela near Davos. Doh!
And the eastern side of the Stilfserjoch/Stelvio is hard work, but hardly
one of the best. (the west side is excellent however). The best driving
road in the world? Not even in the Alps, not even in that corner of Italy.
I really do wonder what these guys are thinking about. The scenery is nice
though. Luckily they didn't really mention any of the /really/ good driving
roads, so they may still stay relatively Top Gear Wannabes free.

So... what do you think is the best driving road in the world?


--
Dan Stephenson
Photos, movies, panos from the Europe, USA, plus N.Z.:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

(remove nospam from email address to reply via email)