Road Trip to Italy (and Back!)

[st13phil]

Yup, been over the Stelvio several times.

It is a fantastic road (probably the most scenic of all the Alpine passes), but it's very difficult to get a clear run at it, and more than likely you'll meet coaches and - depending upon the time of year - roadworks gangs repairing some of it! The history of the road is interesting too:

In 1818 under Emperor Franz, an order was given to plan the shortest connection between the Valtellina and the Val Veneosta. The engineer Carlo Donegani from Brescia finished the projection within 6 months and construction of the road was started in April 1820 on behalf of the Austrian empire. Employing around 2,000 workers, the road was finished in just over five years (although it effectively took less than two years of effort because of breaks for winter), opening in October 1825. The speed of construction was mainly due to the military importance of the route and the political climate of the time because since the contract of Vienna the empire of the Lombardei belonged to Habsburg and access was a priority. With the transfer of South Tyrol to Italy in 1919, the 48 kilometre long road came to be situated entirely on Italian land. The Stelvio is not an essential through-route, but it is one of the most magnificent mountain passes to be found in Europe. Until 1936, when the Col d’Iseran in France (2770m) was opened, it was the highest pass in Europe that could be reached by car as military use restricted access to the 2802m Col de la Bonnette/Restefond (France), until 1960.

 

[st4]

Head from Como to St Moritz

Stelvio

 

[Mr. B]

st-4 Is there a petrol station 1/2 way up - I might need one.

 

[st4]

st-4 Is there a petrol station 1/2 way up - I might need one.

whatever you do, fill it in Italy and not Switzerland. IIRC pumps at Bormeo which is not so far away. You'll be down to around 6mpg I guess on that attack route.

 

[st13phil]

Here are a few piccies of the Stelvio taken on a motorcycle trip a while back. We rode the pass from east to west, i.e. Prato to Bormio, which is the toughest way to do it because a good deal of the 48 hairpins on the climb up are blind and extremely steep.

This hotel (Hotel Gallia) on the SS38 a few clicks before the main climb starts is a great place for a coffee stop:

And if you turn around with your back to the hotel, this is the view you see:

Tornante (hairpin) #22 on the way up:

Here's a view from the rear seat of the bike. Note the fissure in the road surface - the ground on this side shifts a good deal and there are lots of bumps - and the "guard blocks" at the edge of the road. Looking up the pass to the right, you can see why this is considered the finest continuous sector of hairpin bends in the Alps:

From the summit, looking back down the climb in the direction of Prato:

This guy is always at the top selling wursts:

And finally a shot of the waterfall on the descent to Bormio. This side of the pass is much more open and sweeping, with a lovely smooth surface. It's nowhere near as spectacular as the east side though:

 

[o2drive]

I'm off down to lake Garda too in September. Let me know how it goes. I intend to have the brakes checked/replaced and a service before I go.

 

[GlenQ]

Dont worry about it. If the car is properly looked after it will be fine. Just be prepared for a shock at the filling station. Italy currently has the most expensive fuel in europe.

More expensive than Greece?

 

[brucemillar]

The guy at the top selling Wursts could feed an entire village on the contents of his apron.

 

[st13phil]

What you can't see in the photo is the state of his hands

 

[SAFC]

Great responses, folks. Thanks, very much.
Brakes ... ah, yes!! I've had them done. New discs and pads last September - should be OK for Italy in August.
Aircon - most parts replaced - had no choice, pipes were corroded (disappointing, Mr Mercedes-Benz, on a car less than than 7 years old at the time).
Polybelt changed.
Can't think of much more ...

 

[GP801]

More expensive than Greece?

1.84 euros at the local outlet. Just seen it over 1.93 on the A1 autostrada. This i unleaded. Diesel is about 10 cents/litre less.

 

[o2drive]

Had a great time on the pass. And a new apron! :bannana:

 

[st13phil]

Had a great time on the pass. And a new apron! :bannana:

Looks like he's lost a bit of weight, too?

Glad you enjoyed the drive

 

[Bryan Allman]

For those who are interested, I did a similar run down through France into Tuscany in June in the SLK. Came back via Venice, the Stelvio etc., Austria and Southern Germany, then a blast up though Germany to the Eurotunnel - 703 miles in one day

There is a link to a load of images of Tuscany, Venice etc I did for a travel company on the way

http://http://www.white-box-photography.com/italy2012

As for the SLK ........ Brilliant for this kind of travel. Just enough space for all my gear. Relaxed when needed and a complete animal when running up the Stelvio etc. On the day I went over (a Sunday), there was only one bus (at the bottom), no other cars, and about 200 bikes. Having fun with them was a riot

 

[o2drive]

No buses on my trip up and down but several cyclists (they must be mad)