There are some roads in the world that stand out from the crowd. Whether it’s the views, the terrain, the danger or the potential speeds that can be reached that make these roads stand out, anyone choosing to visit them will not be disappointed. This list brought to you by Moneysupermarket discusses 10 of these amazing routes and explains what makes each of them so special.
Great Ocean Road – Australia
Running along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool, the Great Ocean Road is a 160 mile stretch of road that was built by more than 3000 returning soldiers between the years of 1919 and 1932 as a memorial for the 60,000 Australians killed in World War 1. A scenic drive with spectacular coastline vistas, stunning rock formations and many other splendid sights including the Otways rainforest, the impressive views make this road undoubtedly one of the most inspiring in the world.
Millau Viaduct – France
Opened in December 2004, the Millau Viaduct is the world’s tallest vehicular bridge. Designed by the French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and British architect Norman Foster, the Millau Viaduct spans the river tarn which is near Millau in Southern France. The bridge’s tallest mast is 343m tall which is taller than the Eiffel Tower and nearly as tall as the Empire State Building and the views from the bridge are quite spectacular. In fact, the views are so good that when the bridge initially opened drivers would regularly stop on the hard shoulder to admire the landscape and the bridge itself.
Transfagarasan Road – Romania
The most popular road in Romania with driving enthusiasts has to be the Transfagarasan Road and it’s easy to see why. Connecting the historic towns of Transylvania and Wallachia, this dramatic route reaches as high as 2,034 metres above sea level in some places and provides drivers with a real challenge. This winding road is dotted with steep hairpin turns, long S-curves, and sharp descents which is a big reason why drivers rate this road so highly. Constructed between the years of 1970 and 1974, the 90km stretch of road also has more tunnels and viaducts than any other road in Romania with the longest tunnel being 884 metres long. Due to its layout and altitude, weather dictates that the road is usually only open between June and early October.
Stelvio Pass – Italy
Regularly voted as the best driving road in the world due to its 60 hairpin bends and the fact that it is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern-Alps, the Stelvio Pass in Italy is a driving enthusiast’s paradise. Reaching 2757 metres altitude, it is the second highest mountain pass in the Alps, only 13 metres lower than the highest mountain pass in the Alps. The road was built between 1820 and 1825 and has changed very little since then. The northern side of the pass is far more challenging with 48 of the hairpin bends located on this side. The steep ascents add to the excitement/terror as drivers often have little or no visibility of incoming vehicles.
Overseas Highway – America
The 127.5 mile Overseas Highway in America was built back in 1938 following the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 that heavily damaged and partially destroyed the Overseas Railroad that had previously been in place. The route which is mainly over water runs from island to island across 42 bridges and it arcs through the Florida Keys. If you drove the full route in one go it would take less than 4 hours but with so many great sights to take in like the ocean, mangrove vistas and fantastic sunrises and sunsets, the journey often takes visitors slightly longer!
Guoliang Tunnel Road – Japan
Located in the Taihang Mountains which are situated in the Henan Province of China, the Guoliang Tunnel Road was amazingly built by a group of villagers who raised money to buy the hammers and steel tools needed to build the tunnel. 13 villagers initially started the project which took around 5 years to complete and cost a number of villagers their lives. The tunnel itself was completed in 1977 and is 1.2km long, 5 metres tall and 4 metres wide. As you might imagine, the road is regarded as one of the most dangerous in the world but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the Guoliang Tunnel road is a stunningly beautiful scenic route.
Hana Highway – Maui
Connecting the small town of Hana to the rest of Maui, the Hana Highway is a 60 mile stretch of road that is extremely popular with motorists. Firstly there are the waterfalls, beaches, ocean views, rainforest and other stunning natural sights that make this route so attractive to visitors. Then there is the road itself which has over 600 turns, 54 one-lane bridges, blind bends and narrow pavement edged by cliffs which make this route one of the most thrilling in the world. Together, these two things make this road stand out as one of the must visit routes for car enthusiasts.
Autobahn – Germany
If you were to look at the Autobahn you might struggle to see what all of the fuss is about. Just like highways around the world, Autobahns have multiple lanes of traffic heading in each direction which are divided by a central barrier. However, in many ways the Autobahns are the ultimate road for driving fans. The reason for this is that parts of the German Autobahns have no speed limit (except at junctions and various danger points) which means that motorists are free to drive as fast as they want. Obviously this is a hugely attractive proposition to motoring fans, meaning that the German Autobahn had to be included on this list.
North Yungas Road – Bolivia
High in the Andes Mountains in Bolivia is the North Yungas Road. The road is also known as Death Road and it’s easy to see why when you see the figures relating deaths and injuries sustained whilst travelling on the road each year. On average, there is a fatal accident on the road every few weeks and there are also remains of numerous cars, lorries and buses at the bottom of the abyss which serve as a reminder of just how dangerous the road is. Built in the 1930’s, the road stretches 43 miles between La Paz and Coroico and has huge ascents and descents, extremely tight hairpins and very narrow passages. What really makes the road dangerous though are the vertical drops off the side of the road which in some places are more than 1,500 metres and there are no guardrails to prevent vehicles falling. The North Yungas Road certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted but it’s also this danger that attracts so many people to the road.
The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road – UAE
This amazing road is located in the Jebel Hafeet Mountain and spans 7.3 miles, climbing over 1,200 metres along the way. The perfect road surface and 60 corners make this road unquestionably one of the best driving roads in the world; its mix of fast straights and sweeping curves are what driving enthusiasts dream of. A 90 minute drive away from the city of Dubai, people flock to the Jebel Hafeet Mountain to experience the tight, technical and thrilling driving experience.
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