
Driving the scenic Stoderzinken Alpine Road in the Austrian Alps
Austria, europe
10.9 km
1,836 m
moderate
Year-round
# Stoderzinken Alpenstraße: Austria's Alpine Gem
Ready for one of Styria's most spectacular drives? The Stoderzinken Alpenstraße (aka Panoramastraße Stoderzinken) is a must-do for anyone craving stunning mountain scenery paired with an adrenaline-pumping road experience.
This 10.9 km (6.77 miles) ribbon of asphalt climbs from the charming town of Grobming all the way up to the Stoderzinken ski area, topping out at an impressive 1,836 meters (6,023 feet). Fair warning: you'll need to pay a toll for the privilege, but trust us, it's worth every penny.
The road itself is totally paved but doesn't pull any punches. It's narrow in places, carved dramatically through bare rock, and features a gut-wrenching 20 hairpin turns that'll keep your hands glued to the wheel. With an average gradient of 9% and max slopes hitting 13%, this isn't exactly a leisurely cruise. Plan around 25 minutes for the drive (longer if you want to stop for those panoramic photos—which you absolutely will).
Nestled in the Low Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps, this road has some serious heritage. Built between 1958 and 1961 by the Stoderzinken road association, it was completed in 1962 and fully renovated in the early 2000s. It's even bragging rights-worthy as Styria's highest alpine road.
So buckle up and get ready for an unforgettable alpine adventure.
Where is it?
Driving the scenic Stoderzinken Alpine Road in the Austrian Alps is located in Austria (europe). Coordinates: 47.2135, 13.3303
Road Details
- Country
- Austria
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 10.9 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,836 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 47.2135, 13.3303
Related Roads in europe
hardIs the M6 the longest motorway in the UK?
🇬🇧 England
Ever heard of the M6, aka the "Backbone of Britain"? This massive motorway stretches a whopping 233 miles from Rugby, near the M1, all the way north to Carlisle, near the Scottish border. It's the longest motorway in the UK and super busy, but here's a quirky twist: it's supposedly Britain's most haunted road! We're talking phantom hitchhikers who vanish into thin air, Roman soldiers marching alongside your car (seriously!), and ghost cars that look like they've been in a wreck. Drivers have reported spooky vibes and unexplained sightings all over this stretch of road. Whether it's real or just road-trip-induced imagination, the M6 definitely has a reputation for the paranormal! Built partially on a route used by Roman soldiers way back in 55 BC, the M6 may be one of the oldest roads in the UK.
moderateFittanze della Sega Pass
🇮🇹 Italy
# Passo Fittanze della Sega Ready for a serious climb? Passo Fittanze della Sega sits pretty at 1,399 meters (4,589 feet) in the stunning Parco Regionale della Lessinia in Italy, and the road up is no joke. The SP211 is fully paved, but don't let that fool you—this is legitimately brutal. We're talking 22% gradients that'll have your legs (and your car) burning. Two options to summit here, depending on where you're starting from. Coming up from Sdruzzina? You're looking at 14.1 km of climbing with 1,239 meters of elevation gain. That works out to a punishing average of 8.8%—basically relentless the whole way up. If you prefer the slightly more forgiving approach via Bellori, it's a longer 20.91 km haul, but the elevation gain is "only" 1,058 meters at an average of 5.1%. Still a proper workout, just spread out over more distance. Either way, this is the kind of pass that demands respect. Those steep sections will test your fitness and your willpower. But conquer it? You'll feel absolutely legendary.
extremeA wild unpaved road to Alto del Chorrillo
🇪🇸 Spain
# Alto del Chorrillo: Spain's Alpine Adventure Ready for an adrenaline rush? Alto del Chorrillo sits pretty at 2,691 meters (8,828 feet) above sea level in Granada's Sierra Nevada mountains—making it one of Spain's most impressive high-altitude drives. This isn't your typical Sunday cruise, folks. The journey follows Camino de los Franceses (also called Camino del Mulhacén), a wild 23.3km stretch connecting Veleta peak to the charming village of Capileira. Fair warning: you'll absolutely need a 4x4 for this beast. The road is rough, rocky, and throws everything at you—hairpin curves, steep grades, and those heart-pounding dropoffs that'll test your nerve. Alpine lakes dot the route, offering stunning photo ops if you can catch your breath between switchbacks. Winter? Don't even think about it. This place becomes impassable when the snow hits, with avalanches, heavy snowfall, and landslides turning it into a no-go zone. Ice patches are frequent, and landslides are a real concern year-round. Here's the catch: this is serious terrain. If unpaved mountain roads aren't your jam, or if heights make you queasy, find a different adventure. The road demands respect and experienced driving skills. It's steep, it's technical, and it's unforgiving. Oh, and one more thing—bicycles only are allowed to protect the national park's wilderness, so plan accordingly.
moderateWhere are the Çatalca Tunnels?
🇹🇷 Turkey
Just outside of Istanbul, Turkey, you'll find the Çatalca Tunnels, a pair of totally cool highway tunnels that made history! Where? They're smack-dab in Istanbul Province, in a central spot within the Marmara Region, on the eastern side of Turkey. These tunnels are completely paved and part of the Otoyol 7 (O-7) motorway, also called the Northern Marmara Highway. One tunnel is 549 meters (1,801 ft) long, and the other is 511 meters (1,677 ft). The toll highway itself is a whopping 243 km long between the Kınalı and Akyazı junctions, boasting eight lanes and bypassing Istanbul to the north. These tunnels are famous because an Italian pilot named Dario Costa completed a crazy feat: flying an airplane through *two* tunnels! Nobody had *ever* done that before. This was a complicated challenge he dreamed of for years, but he totally nailed it. It took him just 43.44 seconds, hitting average speeds of 245 kph and a top speed of 303.08 km/h (188.07 mph) in the second tunnel. The flight was just 2.26 km, but it required insane precision, starting in one tunnel, going through a short stretch of open highway, and then diving into the second tunnel. Over a year of prep and 40+ people went into making this record-breaking flight a reality! The most critical moment? When Costa had to navigate the plane through a 360m gap between the tunnels, battling crosswinds. He totally crushed it and even did a loop afterwards!