5 Motorcycle Routes in Northern Italy Worth Building a Trip Around

Northern Italy is arguably the best motorcycling region in Europe: a dense cluster of high alpine passes, hairpin-stacked climbs, and lakeside roads, all close enough together that you can string several into one trip without long transfer days. Here are five routes that belong on any rider's list, along with what to expect and where to camp nearby.

Cover photo: the Stelvio Pass hairpins — public domain (Gabri80, via Wikimedia Commons).

1. Passo dello Stelvio (Stelvio Pass)

The pass that most riders build a whole trip around. From the Bormio side, 48 numbered hairpins climb to 2,758 meters, each one marked with its number and altitude — a small but satisfying way to track your progress as the valley drops away below you. The Prato side (Umbrail approach) is longer and slightly less severe if you want a different descent than your ascent.

Best time: Late June through September — it's closed by snow the rest of the year, and conditions can still be cold and foggy even in summer at the top. Camp near: Bormio has several campsites within easy reach of the pass, letting you do an early-morning climb before the tour buses arrive.

2. The Great Dolomites Road (Grande Strada delle Dolomiti)

A historic touring route from Bolzano to Cortina d'Ampezzo, stringing together the Passo Sella, Passo Pordoi, and Passo Falzarego. It's less about any single pass and more about a full day of riding through some of the most photographed mountain scenery in Europe — jagged limestone peaks, alpine meadows, and mountain refuges where you can stop for coffee mid-ride.

Best time: June to September; the Sella Ronda passes are also popular with cyclists, so expect shared-road etiquette, especially on weekends. Camp near: Canazei or the Val Gardena area put you at the center of the loop, with the option to ride it in either direction.

3. Passo di Gavia

The wilder, narrower cousin of the Stelvio, connecting Bormio and Ponte di Legno. Single-lane stretches with two-way traffic, a bare, almost lunar landscape near the top, and far less traffic than its more famous neighbor make this the pick for riders who want the alpine-pass experience without the tour-bus crowds.

Best time: July and August only in most years — it opens later and closes earlier than the Stelvio due to snow. Camp near: Same Bormio bases work for Gavia, or Ponte di Legno on the southern side if you're approaching from Lake Garda.

4. Lake Como and Lake Garda via the Splügen Pass

Less about extreme altitude and more about variety: start with the tight, lake-hugging curves around Como, cut north through the Splügen Pass toward the Swiss border for a proper high-mountain detour, then drop back down to finish along Garda's eastern shore. It's a route that trades pure adrenaline for scenery variety — lake, mountain, lake again.

Best time: May through October; the Splügen section closes in winter. Camp near: Riva del Garda or Malcesine give you lakeside camping with easy access to both the northern climbs and the lake roads.

The Splügen Pass — photo by Adrian Michael, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

5. Aosta Valley and the Grand St Bernard Pass

A route that trades the Dolomites' limestone drama for glacier views — Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn are both visible from different points along the way. The Grand St Bernard Pass itself crosses into Switzerland, with the historic hospice at the summit worth a stop, and the valley floor gives you a fast, scenic run-up before the climb begins.

Best time: June to September for the pass itself; the valley floor is rideable earlier and later in the season. Camp near: Aosta or Cogne, both of which also work as bases for hiking in Gran Paradiso National Park if you want a rest day off the bike.

The Grand St Bernard Pass — photo by Hagai Agmon-Snir, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Riding vs. planning where you'll sleep

The routes are the easy part to plan — stringing together which campsites near each pass are actually open, legitimate, and have space for a bike plus tent is usually what eats the most time before a trip. That's the gap GelbeZelte is built to close: search verified campsites across Northern Italy and the rest of Europe in one place, so the only hard decision left is which pass to ride first.