# Name and map (Google Maps) the your favorite most scenic highway sector!



## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

I created this thread so that we can put our favorite sectors of highways, in terms of scenery, visual impressions and the overall environment at/surrounding some highway.

Just to make it more meaningful and get similar results, I thought of four basic "rules" (of course I'm no mod and no one is obliged to abide to them).

*1. only controlled-access highways, 2x2 or wider *(regardless of how it is named)*

2. length between 20 and 100km *(so no "this curve" or "this ramp" or "this 1.200km link")*

3. up to 5 nominations per forummer only

4. must be a highway you drove through* (passenger or driver).

Post the description, and a link with a Google Maps route (or Via Michelin or MapQuest or whatever) for the sector!


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## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

*My favs*

Here are my top 5 list:

1. *A3 (Italy) between Palmi and Villa San Giovanni*. It is breathtaking: high viaducts, cliffs hanging above the ocean, curved tunnels that sudden open into forested areas on one side, deep blue waters of the Thyrrenian Sea on the other. It is undergoing a lengthy renovation program.

2. *I-70 (US) west of Glenwood Springs (CO)*. That sector of I-70 is stunning. The highway goes through a narrow canyon following the river with truly impressive views. Google Street Views is a joke for that sector, check some videos on Youtube (like this) to get the true character of it. I drove there in a clear sky autumn afternoon and I got jaw-dropped with the views.

3. *A13 (Austria) - A22 (Italy) between Innsbruck and Brennero*. The Brennero route is truly amazing. There are other valley alpine highways, but this one is almost landscaped to perfection, as if it were completing the scenery. It is also one of the highest controlled-access highway passes. 

4. *A8 (France) between Mondelieu and Menton* The highway following the Côte d'Ázur has a really nice scenery around, particularly on Springs and Summers. Contrary to most highways, the urban crossings are very nice as well. A pity it is ALWAYS congested.

5. *A92 (Spain) between Baza and Cúllar*. Though many might found it dull, somehow I loved the impressions of the picturesque olive fields in the middle of the arid areas of Southern Spain. This sector also has some beautiful rock cuts.


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

^^ #3 in Italy is A22, not A23.

I share two of my favourites with you, i.e. Italian A3 and Spanish A92 (but I prefer a section east of what you posted), so I'm gonna declare 3 more:

- *Italian A23* between Tarvisio and Tolmezzo. Drove there in winter so everything was covered in snow, lots of mountains and little villages and tunnels, and the autostrada is one of the most modern in Italy.

- *Italian A24* between l'Aquila and Teramo. Rugged mountains inside one of the wildest environments in Italy, and obviously the imposing Gran Sasso mountain and its 10+ km tunnel. A must drive.

- I wouldn't want to put three Italian roads, but in my mind only two scenic routes are left (one Italian and one Austrian), and the Italian one in my opinion is better. It's *A10 *between Savona and Ventimiglia. Green mountains on one side and the Ligurian sea on the other side, lots of curves and tunnels and viaducts. A motorway in the most improbable spot for a road. The other competitor was Austrian A10 between Zederhaus and Villach, but it's too close and too similar to the Italian A23.


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## mappero (Aug 25, 2008)

^^ I had the same idea  OK, you were first  Only on highways? Not secondary mountains roads?


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

mappero said:


> ^^ I had the same idea  OK, you were first  Only on highways? Not secondary mountains roads?


There already is a thread for most scenic roads tout court.


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## riiga (Nov 2, 2009)

*Swedish E4* between Huskvarna and Ödeshög. Beautiful view of lake Vättern and Visingsö.


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## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

I'm going to slightly break one of your rules, as I'm not quite sure where the really fun bit ends/starts, so the route is 138km

The *Portuguese A23 * from Albergaria-a-Velha to Guarda is quite up and down hill.

The *Portuguese A24* from Peso da Régua to Vila Pouca de Aguiar is also very hilly with similar view to the A25. It's also quite high for a motorway, going above 1000m


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## nerdly_dood (Mar 23, 2007)

The Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina.


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## NDB (Mar 23, 2012)

*A15 (Italy)* approximately between Borgotaro and Pontremoli. See here and here.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

riiga said:


> *Swedish E4* between Huskvarna and Ödeshög. Beautiful view of lake Vättern and Visingsö.


I agree, this is the most scenic route in Sweden.





*The scenic view starts at 3:53*


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## Ron2K (Dec 28, 2007)

*South African N1* through the Molenaars River Valley (14 km). You drive through a river valley with extremely imposing mountains all around you.

*South African N3* through the Midlands (50 km). Winding, up and down, awesome scenery.

*Australian Highway 1* between Sydney and the Newcastle/Maitland area (146 km). Some amazing sections of road here.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

Italy, A24 between intersection Torano and Vico. 64 km of stunning mountainous views and wildness. climbing finishes at 970 metres over sea in stunning 10 km long Gran Sasso tunnel (the longest double tube tunnel in the world).

Croatia, A1 between Sveti Rok and Posedarje. 38 km. northern part is mountainous, but without too hard terrain, a lot of greenery. then comes the 5,5 km long tunnel Sveti Rok, at whose exit you are usually welcome by 8-10°C warmer weather regarding the other side of the tunnel, and stunning descent almost to the sea level, surrounded by "moon surface" landscape. end of descent is at wonderful Maslenica bridge.

Italy, A10 Genova - Ventimiglia. this is over 100 km (156 km), but the whole stretch is actually at the same level of coolness. something is happening all the time: tunnel, viaduct, viaduct, tunnel... you enter the tunnel paralelly with other half of motorway, and when you exit the tunnel, you don't see that other half. suddenly you realize it somewhere under you, or few hunderds of metres far or similar. sea and mountains are always here somewhere.

i am sure there are nice motorways in Greece, France and other countries which i haven't visited yet. in AUstria i traveled both A9 and A10. i think A10 is much more attractive, but i traveled it only during the night so i cannot say much about it.


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

x-type said:


> Italy, A24 between intersection Torano and Vico. 64 km of stunning mountainous views and wildness. climbing finishes at 970 metres over sea in stunning 10 km long Gran Sasso tunnel (*the longest double tube tunnel in the world).
> *


Only in Europe. There are three or four tunnels in China and one in Japan which are longer.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

g.spinoza said:


> Only in Europe. There are three or four tunnels in China and one in Japan which are longer.


i have just realized it on Chinese thread.


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

x-type said:


> i have just realized it on Chinese thread.


I often take my info on tunnels on this site. It's fairly complete and exhaustive.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

g.spinoza said:


> I often take my info on tunnels on this site. It's fairly complete and exhaustive.


yeah, lotsberg. i have contributed there with some infos 
one of the first web sites of that type with road information, i know for it for more than 10 years.


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## poshbakerloo (Jan 16, 2007)

England, about as scenic as it gets lol

M62 Cross Pennine...

http://maps.google.com/maps/myplace...id=c7znv50KfA6DwguBcRr7mA&cbp=12,110,,0,-0.98

M6 Lake District...

http://maps.google.com/maps/myplace...fomxC5RWdeBYFoR_oiwhiw&cbp=12,350.71,,0,-8.07


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## Peines (Aug 13, 2011)

Suburbanist said:


> 5. *A92 (Spain) between Baza and Cúllar*. Though many might found it dull, somehow I loved the impressions of the picturesque olive fields in the middle of the arid areas of Southern Spain. This sector also has some beautiful rock cuts.


:cheers:


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## Peines (Aug 13, 2011)

*[C-32]* (Catalonia, Spain) *Autopista de Pau Casals*. It's probably the most slowly toll-motorway in Spain, due the speed limit of 90km/h in their tunnels, but has a lot of beautiful sections between the link of the [AP-7 E-15] and the link [A-2 B-10] [B-20] in Barcelona entrance, specially in the tunnels sections where you can see the Mediterranean from the mountains.

http://g.co/maps/46ntr


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

^^ I drove that (from Barcelona to Matarò) but frankly it didn't impress me much.


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## Peines (Aug 13, 2011)

^^ you drove in a different section ...


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