The road to Radici Pass: be ready to make room for oncoming vehicles

The road to Radici Pass: be ready to make room for oncoming vehicles

Italy, europe

Length

37.5 km

Elevation

1,529 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

# Passo delle Radici: A Alpine Adventure in the Heart of Italy

Ready for a scenic mountain escape? Passo delle Radici is a stunning high-altitude pass sitting pretty at 1,529m (5,016ft), straddling the border between Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany in the picturesque Italian Apennines.

The 37.5km (23.30 miles) route runs west-east from Castiglione di Garfagnana (near Lucca) to Pievepelago (in Modena province), and trust us—every kilometer is worth it. The road itself is fully paved but charmingly narrow, with some sections climbing at a teeth-gritting 10% gradient. You'll navigate it via Strada Provinciale 72 on the northern approach and Strada Provinciale 324 heading south.

Once you reach the summit, you'll find a welcoming hotel, a cozy bar-restaurant, and a tiny mountain chapel perfect for catching your breath (and your Instagram moment). Feeling adventurous? A tiny paved road continues south toward Passo di Pradaccio, another spectacular pass sitting even higher at 1,617m (5,305ft)—it's like a bonus-level mountain experience.

This is the kind of drive that reminds you why Italy's mountain roads are legendary: challenging enough to keep you engaged, beautiful enough to steal your heart, and rewarding enough to plan your next visit the moment you descend.

Where is it?

The road to Radici Pass: be ready to make room for oncoming vehicles is located in Italy (europe). Coordinates: 43.1395, 13.1868

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Road Details

Country
Italy
Continent
europe
Length
37.5 km
Max Elevation
1,529 m
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
43.1395, 13.1868

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