Where is Monte Seguret?
Italy, europe
20 km
2 m
extreme
Year-round
Okay, picture this: You're in Italy's Piedmont region, itching for an off-road adventure near the French border. Monte Seguret is calling! This high mountain pass sits pretty at 2,204m (7,230ft) and getting there is half the fun.
Forget smooth tarmac; the Via dei Saraceni (aka Strada militare Fenil-Pramand-Föens-Jafferau, or Strada militare 79) is a rugged dirt track dating back to 1886, winding through old forts. This isn't a Sunday drive!
Clocking in at over 20 km, almost entirely above 2,000 meters, expect hairpin turns, tunnels, and seriously narrow sections with daunting drop-offs. The slope is manageable (under 12%) and the width hovers around 3 meters, but some rocky patches might give your car a hard time. A 4x4 is definitely your friend here. Plus, keep an eye out for potential rockfalls.
Nestled in the Cottian Alps, this route might also have you passing over Valico Poffa di Rondenino (2,087m) and Colle dello Jafferau (2,805 m). This adventure is best tackled between May and October, weather permitting – you wouldn't want to be caught here in a storm!
Road Details
- Country
- Italy
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 20 km
- Max Elevation
- 2 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
Related Roads in europe
extremeCan you drive a car through the Gap of Dunloe?
🌍 Ireland
Okay, picture this: you're in County Kerry, Ireland, ready for an adventure. You’ve heard whispers of the Gap of Dunloe, a mountain pass that's as breathtaking as it is… well, a bit of a challenge. This isn't your average Sunday drive. The road snakes for about 9.6 km between Dunloe and Hollywood, reaching a modest 246m above sea level, but don’t let that fool you! We're talking single-track roads, hairpin bends that'll test your steering skills, and bridges that feel just a *tad* too narrow. What's it like driving the Gap of Dunloe? The road has some seriously steep sections – we're talking gradients up to 19%! Passing other vehicles can be tricky (especially if you meet a traditional horse-drawn "jaunting car"), so patience is key. In fact, most people agree that driving is NOT the best way to see the Gap. But here's the reward: you're surrounded by the highest mountains in Ireland and treated to scenery that's straight out of a postcard. Think shimmering lakes nestled between rugged peaks. You’ll pass no less than five lakes. Just a heads-up: this place is popular, *especially* in summer. It's best to visit outside peak hours, or better yet, leave the driving to someone else and hop on a tour, or hike/bike it to truly soak it all in. This iconic road is part of one of the best scenic drives in the world.
extremeGeorgia, the Country: Where the Roads Are as Wild as the Mountains
🇬🇪 Georgia
Most people picture peaches and sweet tea when they think of Georgia, but forget that! We're talking about the *other* Georgia, the one nestled between Russia and Turkey. This place is a knockout, all ancient history, delicious wine, and landscapes that will leave your jaw on the floor. Think deep valleys, medieval towers, and mountain roads that twist and shout through the Caucasus. And those roads? Oh man, they're gorgeous, but they're also seriously wild. Forget Sunday driving, you're plunging INTO the mountains, often above the clouds, hugging cliff edges that seem to crumble as you pass, and sometimes even splashing through riverbeds that double as roads when it rains. Tourists land in Tbilisi, fall head-over-heels for khinkali and Georgian hospitality, and then think, "Let's hit the mountains!" Sounds epic, right? It is. But unless you're ready for it, that postcard-perfect dream can turn into a real-life nightmare, fast. Take Abano Pass, for instance. It's the only road into the remote Tusheti region, and it's one of the highest drivable passes in Europe – clocking in at over 9,000 feet! We're talking dirt, narrow, often muddy roads with zero guardrails. One tiny mistake, one moment of distraction, and you're not just sliding, you're... well, you're dropping. Hundreds of feet. In winter, this pass is totally shut down, buried under snow and ice. Spring brings landslides. Summer? You'll be dodging tourist SUVs while trying not to run over herds of sheep. There's barely enough room for one car, let alone two! And that's just one example. Roads like the one to Shatili (via Datvisjvari Pass) or Goderdzi Pass in the south are just as dramatic. Pavement can turn to gravel without warning. "Paved" in Georgia can mean anything from smooth asphalt to broken concrete and loose rocks. The raw beauty of the Caucasus Mountains comes with a price. Driving here isn't a joke, it's an act of respect. Georgian drivers seem fearless for a reason: they grew up on these roads. But if you're used to wide American highways and generous shoulders, the learning curve is crazy steep, and sometimes pretty vertical. One traveler told me he rented an SUV in Kutaisi and tried to drive to Mestia in Svaneti. His GPS took him via Ushguli, one of the highest villages in Europe. What the map *didn't* tell him? The "road" was barely wider than his car, clinging to a cliff, and hadn't seen any love in years. He ended up reversing almost a mile downhill after meeting a logging truck with no room to pass. "It was the most beautiful and terrifying drive of my life," he said. "I honestly thought we were going to die more than once.” His story is pretty common. Google Maps doesn't factor in landslides, rockfalls, or the fact that a "road" might be a dry riverbed one minute and a raging river the next. Locals know which turns to avoid, which roads to skip in the rain, and when to turn back. Most tourists don't. In Georgia, the weather doesn't just change, it FLIPS. You can be cruising under a sunny sky and, fifteen minutes later, find yourself in thick fog, icy rain, or even snow – even in summer! The elevation changes are insane. That sunny valley you just left might be thousands of feet below the pass you're heading for. Abano Pass is usually only open from June to early October, and even then, it's unpredictable. A rainstorm can cause a landslide and shut it down for hours, or even days. Datvisjvari, on the way to Khevsureti and Shatili, often closes without warning too. It's not just rain. Fog is a HUGE deal, especially early in the morning or evening. Visibility can drop to zero, and with no lights, no lines, and no guardrails, you're basically driving blind. If you're hitting the mountains, start early. Always check local reports – and don't trust your weather app too much. Locals, guesthouse owners, and gas station attendants often know way more than your phone does. Seriously, think twice before renting that cute little sedan. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's safe. Lots of mountain roads in Georgia should *only* be attempted with a true 4x4 with high clearance. And no, I'm not talking about a crossover, I mean a REAL off-roader. Even then, your tires are important. Some rental places give you SUVs with bald tires – great for the city, but terrifying on wet clay or loose gravel. Before you drive off, check your spare tire, check the jack, make sure the handbrake works, and ask for a real map if you're leaving the cities behind, because cell service disappears fast in the mountains. Here's a pro tip: if you're not sure a road is passable, see what the local marshrutkas (minibuses) do. If they're not going that way, you probably shouldn't either. Not all rental companies offer full insurance that covers off-road or mountain driving, so ask about coverage for gravel roads, river crossings, and high-altitude areas. If you crash or break down in the middle of nowhere, help might not arrive quickly. Cell coverage is spotty at best, and in some areas, it's nonexistent. Emergency numbers are responsive, but they might not be able to find you exactly. So, tell someone where you're going: a hotel, a friend, even your rental company. Tell them your route and when you expect to arrive. Most roadside areas are too narrow to stop safely. If you do break down, try to find a wider spot or a pull-off where you're visible. Turn on your hazard lights and get away from the car, especially on blind corners. Locals are usually friendly and helpful, so if someone stops to help, they probably mean it. But, don't count on passing traffic, especially in Tusheti or high Svaneti. Some roads see less than ten cars a day. There are no "turnaround zones" in the high mountains. If the road looks sketchy and you're unsure, turn back early. Don't think it'll get better, because it probably won't. Driving through the mountains of Georgia is one of the most amazing experiences you can have. The views are incredible, the roads are wild, and the feeling of freedom is unlike anything else. But so is the risk. These aren't highways, they're narrow paths carved into rock, ice, and mud. They demand respect, focus, and humility. If you're going for it, be prepared. Know your limits. Rent the right car. Check the weather. Ask the locals. And most of all, don't let your ego get in the way of good judgment. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do on these roads is turn around.
easyDriving the scenic Adriatic Highway along the sea
🇭🇷 Croatia
# The Adriatic Highway: A Coastal Dream Picture this: a 1,000km (620 miles) stretch of pure coastal magic hugging the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea. The Adriatic Highway winds its way through Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, earning its reputation as one of the world's most spectacular coastal drives—and honestly, once you've seen it, you'll understand why. Part of the European route 65 (E65), this fully paved two-lane beauty runs north-south from Rijeka, a charming Croatian port city, all the way down to the Montenegro-Albania border. The only exception? A brief dual-carriageway section near Split. While locals know it by different names depending on which country you're in (D8 in Croatia, M-2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and M-1 in Montenegro), travellers just call it spectacular. Sure, you *could* hammer through the whole thing in about 12 hours, but please don't. This road demands a leisurely pace—think two or three days minimum. Split it into shorter segments, soak in the scenery, and actually experience what makes this drive legendary. What you get here is nothing short of Mediterranean magic. Crystal-clear waters on one side, distant islands dotting the horizon, and landscapes that shift dramatically from north to south. The road clings to clifftops, swoops down to hug the shoreline, then climbs back up with nothing but sheer drops to the sea below. It's a thrilling roller coaster of serpentine turns and breathtaking views that'll have your camera working overtime. Built back in the 1950s and 60s under Yugoslavia's President Tito and officially opened in 1965, this highway is refreshingly manageable even during peak summer season. Traffic stays light, fuel is easy to find, and the road itself is perfectly safe. If those dramatic cliff-edge curves make you nervous, countless bus tours operate along the route with experienced drivers who've navigated these bends a thousand times over.
hardWhere is Colle Sestriere?
🇮🇹 Italy
Okay, picture this: Colle Sestriere, a seriously scenic mountain pass chilling in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy, practically waving hello to France from just 17 km away! We're talking about the Susa Valley, people. The pass itself? It's named after Sestriere, a super-cute alpine village right at the top (population: a cozy 880). You'll be cruising along the Strada Provinciale 23 del Colle di Sestriere (SP23R) – totally paved, so no need for monster truck tires. The whole shebang runs from Cesana Torinese to Perosa Argentina, about 40 km northwest of Turin, and it's about 40 km in total length. Now, let's talk climb. If you're coming from Perosa Argentina, get ready for an elevation gain of 1,427 meters with an average gradient of 3.8%. Starting in Cesana Torinese? It's a 679-meter climb at a slightly steeper average of 5.9%. Either way, the views are absolutely worth it!