The best motorcycle roads in Europe
Europe has the best motorcycle roads in the world in a space you can cross in a long weekend. The Alps alone hold hundreds of paved passes across France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany, and they are only the start: the fjord roads of Norway, the Carpathian highways of Romania, the gorges of northern Spain, the vineyards of the Douro and the empty single-track of the Scottish Highlands each give a completely different kind of ride.
This list picks the roads we would build a whole trip around, ranked by how much they give a rider: the shape of the road, the scenery, and how easy it is to string together with others nearby. Every entry gives the road number, a rough length, the months it is open and at its best, and where to stay.
For more depth on one country, use the country lists below. Each has its own ranked selection, written for that country, with planning tips and the rules you need to know before you go.
1. Stelvio Pass, Italy
- Road
- SS38
- Length
- About 50 km
- Best season
- June to October
The Stelvio is the pass every rider wants on their list. On the eastern side, 48 numbered hairpins zigzag up a single mountainside to 2,757 metres, so you can see the whole road below you from the top. It is the second-highest paved pass in the Alps and a pilgrimage for riders, cyclists and drivers, so it is crowded in summer. Ride it at dawn, then carry on over the Umbrail into Switzerland or the Gavia to the south for one of the best days you will have on a bike.
2. Transfăgărășan, Romania
- Road
- DN7C
- Length
- About 90 km
- Best season
- July to October
Built across the Făgăraș mountains in the 1970s, the Transfăgărășan climbs to the glacial lake at Bâlea at about 2,042 metres, with the northern side a spectacular cascade of hairpins and viaducts down a single valley. The southern side is longer, through forest and past the Vidraru dam. The high section is usually open only from early July to the end of October, and the road can close at short notice for rockfalls or snow. Check the Romanian road authority before you travel, and ride it on a weekday.
3. Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria
- Road
- B107 (toll road)
- Length
- About 48 km
- Best season
- May to October
The Grossglockner was built as a panoramic road, and it shows: wide, smooth tarmac, perfectly radiused hairpins and a series of viewpoints facing Austria’s highest mountain. The road crosses the Hochtor at 2,504 metres, and side roads lead to the Edelweissspitze and to the glacier viewpoint at the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. It is a toll road and closes at night, but riding it at opening time, with the valleys still in shadow, is worth the price.
4. Furka, Grimsel and Susten, Switzerland
- Road
- Routes 19, 6 and 11
- Length
- About 115 km
- Best season
- June to October
Three great passes join up into a single loop of a little over 100 km from Andermatt: the Furka past the old Hotel Belvédère and the Rhône glacier, the Grimsel down through granite and hydro lakes, and the Susten, a masterpiece of mid-century road building with tunnels and stone bridges. The loop gives you three very different climbs in one day, and you can be back in Andermatt for dinner. Add the Gotthard or the Nufenen the next morning.
5. Route des Grandes Alpes, France
- Road
- D902 and others
- Length
- About 700 km
- Best season
- Late June to September
If you only do one long Alpine ride, make it this. The Route des Grandes Alpes crosses the French Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean in about 700 km, over passes that include the Iseran, the highest paved through-pass in the Alps, as well as the Galibier, Izoard and Bonette. Each day the landscape changes, from dairy pasture to high rock and finally lavender and pine. Allow five days and finish with a swim at Menton.
6. Dolomites passes, Italy
- Road
- SS48, SS242, SS243 and others
- Length
- About 110 km
- Best season
- June to September
Nowhere else packs so many great passes into such a small space. The Sella Ronda loop takes in four of them around one massif in a couple of hours; the Giau, Falzarego and Valparola add more within a short ride of Cortina; and the Great Dolomites Road links Bolzano with Cortina across the heart of the range. The pale limestone towers rise straight out of green meadows beside the road. Base yourself in one valley and ride a different combination each day.
7. Trollstigen and the Eagle Road, Norway
- Road
- Fv63
- Length
- About 100 km
- Best season
- June to September
The Fv63 between Åndalsnes and Geiranger crosses two of Norway's most famous climbs. Trollstigen, the Trolls' Ladder, climbs a sheer valley wall in eleven hairpins beside a waterfall; the Ørnevegen, the Eagle Road, drops in a stack of hairpins to the Geirangerfjord. Between them is a car ferry and a high mountain plateau. The road has a short season and has been closed by rockfalls in recent years, so check the Norwegian road authority before you plan around it.
8. Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway
- Road
- Fv64
- Length
- About 8 km
- Best season
- May to September
A short road with a huge reputation: the Atlantic Ocean Road hops from island to island across the open sea between Molde and Kristiansund on a series of low causeways and curving bridges. It takes minutes to ride, but in a westerly gale, with spray over the tarmac, it is unforgettable, and on a calm evening it is simply beautiful. It is an easy addition to a fjord tour that includes Trollstigen, and the coastal roads on either side are quiet and scenic.
9. N222 Douro Valley, Portugal
- Road
- N222
- Length
- About 27 km
- Best season
- March to June, September to November
The stretch of the N222 between Peso da Régua and Pinhão follows the Douro river for about 27 km through terraced port vineyards, with bend after bend along the water and very few straights. It has been called one of the best driving roads in the world, and on a bike it is a pure pleasure: smooth, flowing and never too fast. Ride it in spring or after the grape harvest, and stay in a wine estate for the night.
10. North Coast 500, Scotland
- Road
- A9, A835, A838 and others
- Length
- About 516 miles (830 km)
- Best season
- May to September
Scotland's loop around the far north runs about 516 miles (830 km) from Inverness, and the west coast is the part that makes it famous: single-track roads winding between sea lochs, mountains and beaches, with the Applecross pass, the Bealach na Bà, as the high point. Long summer evenings let you ride late, and the roads are empty outside the peak holiday weeks. Allow five days or more, book rooms ahead, and bring midge repellent.
11. Picos de Europa, Spain
- Road
- N-621 and N-625
- Length
- About 210 km
- Best season
- May to October
The ferry from the UK to Santander puts you within a short ride of the Picos de Europa, a block of limestone peaks just inland from the Atlantic. The roads through it follow narrow gorges, the Desfiladero de la Hermida and the Desfiladero de los Beyos, and climb to passes such as San Glorio, with villages, cider houses and cows on the tarmac all the way. It is green and often misty, a very different Spain from the south, and one of the best-value riding regions in Europe.
12. Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
- Road
- N59, R115 and others
- Length
- About 2,500 km
- Best season
- May to September
Ireland's west coast route runs about 2,500 km (1,550 miles) from Donegal to Kinsale, but nobody rides it all at once. Pick a section: the Inishowen peninsula and the Donegal coast in the north, Connemara and Achill in the middle, or the Dingle and Beara peninsulas in the south. The roads are often narrow, bumpy and slow, but the cliffs, beaches and pubs make up for it. Expect rain and plan short days.
13. Black Forest High Road, Germany
- Road
- B500
- Length
- About 60 km
- Best season
- May to October
Germany's best-known biker road runs along the ridge of the northern Black Forest between Baden-Baden and Freudenstadt, a fast, sweeping road with long views across the Rhine to France. On its own it is a pleasant hour; as the spine of a few days in the Black Forest, with the twisty valley roads that drop off it on both sides, it is one of the best short trips in Europe for riders from the north and the Benelux.
How to plan a trip around these roads
Choose one mountain range or region per trip, and base yourself for three or four nights in each spot. The Alps reward a loop around one hub, such as Andermatt, Bormio, the Dolomites or the Ötztal; Scotland and Norway reward a slow, linear route with more nights on the road.
Most high passes open between late May and late June and close from October, with dates that move each year. Northern roads such as Trollstigen and the NC500 have a short season. Check each road’s official status before you go, and keep a spare day for weather.
- Austria, Switzerland and several other countries require a motorway vignette for motorcycles. Buy it from the official national source before you ride on their motorways.
- Several panoramic Alpine roads, including the Grossglockner and Timmelsjoch, charge their own toll.
- Some countries require specific kit, such as a high-visibility vest and gloves in France. Check the official rules for each country you will ride through.
- Ferries from the UK reach France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands; book early for summer.
Best motorcycle roads by country
Questions riders ask
What is the best motorcycle road in Europe?
The Stelvio Pass in Italy is the most famous, and the Transfăgărășan in Romania is often called the most spectacular. For a full trip, the Route des Grandes Alpes in France and the Furka, Grimsel and Susten loop in Switzerland are hard to beat.
When is the best time to ride the Alps?
From late June to mid-September, when almost all the high passes are open. June can still bring snow on the highest passes, and many close again in October. September is often the best month, with stable weather and fewer tourists.
Which countries need a motorway vignette for motorcycles?
Austria and Switzerland both require a motorway vignette for motorcycles, and several other countries in central and eastern Europe have similar systems. Buy it only from the official national source.
Which is the highest paved road in the Alps?
The road around the Cime de la Bonette in France reaches about 2,802 metres. The highest paved through-pass is the Col de l’Iseran at 2,764 metres, followed by the Stelvio at 2,757 metres.
How do I plan a European motorcycle trip?
Pick one region per trip, book a base with secure parking for three or four nights, and ride day loops from it. Check pass openings, vignette and kit rules for each country before you go, and keep a spare day for weather.