The most mountainous part of Lake Garda was for many centuries without suitable communication routes. Some beautiful villages in this area could only be reached by narrow paths and goods were mostly transported by lake, using barges. The isolation of these places lasted until the construction of the road 45 bis Gardesana Occidentale, opened to traffic in 1931 and still today the main artery of communication for the western part of Lake Garda.
The SP38 road, better known as the Strada della Forra (Gorge Road), is certainly one of the most evocative and scenic routes in the entire Lake Garda area. Just under 6 kilometres long, this beautiful road connects the Gardesana Occidentale with the hamlet of Pieve di Tremosine sul Garda, overcoming a difference in altitude of about 200 metres.
Designed by Arturo Cozzaglio, this road crosses the gorge carved into the mountain by the Brasa torrent. Work on this route began in 1908 and lasted for more than four years until 18 May 1913, the day on which the road was inaugurated and opened to the public. Among the journalists present on that day, the sentence of the German correspondent of the Frankfurter Zeitung became famous. He said that it was "the most beautiful road in the world".
Many years have passed since that day, but the Strada della Forra has continued to increase its worldwide fame and the appreciation of some of the most famous people in modern history. It is impossible not to mention the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Sir Winston Churchill who described it as "the eighth wonder of the world".
Today, the Strada della Forra is one of the most popular destinations for cycling, driving and especially motorcycling. The succession of tight bends, tunnels, hairpin bends and rocks overhanging the lake make this route particularly popular with motorcyclists.
The surrounding nature is sometimes wild and offers glimpses of unparalleled beauty, which make a photo stop inevitable. The screenwriters of some international films are also familiar with this fact and have shot several memorable videos on this road. In 2008, director Mark Forster chose the Strada della Forra for the opening chase in the film "Quantum of Solace", starring Daniel Craig in the role of the legendary secret agent 007.
During the summer season, this road is subject to specific traffic rules, which provide for one-way traffic at certain times of the day. At other times of the day, there is a two-way traffic system controlled by traffic lights in the narrowest section. In this regard, before starting your journey, we advise you to read the traffic rules of the road on the website of the municipality of Tremosine sul Garda.
Image gallery
Click on the button below to open the image gallery of the Strada della Forra in Tremosine sul Garda.
How to get to the Strada della Forra
Click on the button below to open the route map with the start and end points of the Strada della Forra.
Lake Garda Experiences
A world of activities made for you and your friends. Choose between excursions, guided tours, tastings and much more. Plan your leisure time in the best possible way and enjoy the exclusive special offers.
What to do on Lake Garda
Many more activities await you, discover them below!
