Strada della Forra

You may recognize this twisting road from the opening sequence of Bond flick Quantum of Solace, in which 007 tears along cliff faces and canyons with the bad guys in hot pursuit and a prisoner in the trunk of his Aston Martin.

The Strada della Forra (Street of the Gorge, sometimes called SP38) is a mountain road nestled along the side of the mountain by Lake Garda, burrowing through the ravine formed by the river Brasa, and climbing the steep hills up to Tremosine. Along the route, Strada della Forra links isolated mountain communities through narrow tunnels and sharp twists and turns. When it was finished in 1913, the Frankfurter Zeitung called it “the most beautiful road in the world.” A visiting Winston Churchill went so far as to call it “the eighth wonder of the world.” In recent years, its breathtaking views and verdant scenery have made it a sought-after location for film shoots and car commercials.

While you may not have Bond’s sleek ride at your disposal, really any small car will do. (Many travelers recommend motorcycles, as it makes it easier to pull over to the side of the road to take it all in). While nervous drivers may find themselves uncomfortable with the rapid squirming and squeezing the narrow route will require, the road is a real gem. Just make sure you have a working horn, functional brakes, and a really, really solid sense of how wide your vehicle is. It’ll be a snug fit.