Pennes Pass is a classic Italian road trip
Italy, europe
28.9 km
2,211 m
hard
Year-round
Passo di Pennes is a high mountain pass sitting pretty at 2,211m (7,254ft) above sea level in Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region. It's basically the shortcut everyone uses between Innsbruck and Bolzano, and honestly? It's got serious bragging rights.
The summit is fully equipped with a massive parking lot and a restaurant where you can refuel (both you and your car), so it's a proper destination rather than just a pass-through. The entire route, known locally as Penser Joch and officially as Strada Statale 508 (SS508), is paved all the way up. You'll wind your way through 28.9 km connecting the charming villages of Rio Bianco and Vipiteno.
Now, let's be real—this isn't a Sunday drive. The road throws hundreds of turns at you, with a handful of genuine hairpin bends that'll keep your hands firmly on the wheel. The steepest sections hit 20.7%, which is no joke. Even though they've widened it over the years, it's still pretty tight in places, so you'll want to stay sharp and respect the road. But that's exactly what makes it such an epic alpine experience.
Where is it?
Pennes Pass is a classic Italian road trip is located in Italy (europe). Coordinates: 42.8105, 11.8144
Road Details
- Country
- Italy
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 28.9 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,211 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 42.8105, 11.8144
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