Considered by Winston Churchill as “the eighth wonder of the world,” the Strada della Forra is a serpentine stretch carved into the rock, which, for those lucky enough to travel it, feels as if one were entering the mountain’s very core. It lies on the Lombard shore of the Lago di Garda and begins along the lakeside, winding up to the village of Pieve di Tremosine in the province of Brescia. The road is not very long—just 6 kilometers—yet it is endlessly captivating, hewn from the Brasa torrent gorge from which it derives its name. It is especially evocative in the evenings, thanks to the dramatic lighting at the gorge’s narrowest point.
The Strada della Forra: History
Also known as the Porto-Pieve-Vesio road, it was conceived by Arturo Cozzaglio from Tremosine (a self-taught engineer without a degree, hydrogeologist and geologist, renowned for bold feats of constructive science), making an extraordinary achievement for its era. Construction began in 1908 and lasted over four years, with specialized miners brought in largely from Serle. The government financed half of the project, the Province contributed one quarter, and the remainder came from the Municipality.
It was inaugurated on May 18, 1913, and its opening brought prosperity and tourism to the entire area.
007 on the Strada della Forra
The deep tunnels, flanked by climbing plants that swallow the eye in a perpetual alternation of darkness and light, have also been conquered by James Bond (Daniel Craig) in the film “007 Quantum of Solace.” At the helm of his Aston Martin, 007 flees his pursuers aboard a Ford GT40 to free Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), imprisoned and strapped in the car’s rear compartment. A race against time winds its way through Gargnano, Campione, Tremosine, Limone sul Garda, Riva del Garda, Torbole, and Malcesine.
From the film’s opening scene, viewers are thrust into the heart of the action, along provincial road 38, the Porto-Pieve route, which climbs from Gardesana toward the Tremosine uplands, passing through the Strada della Forra. The chase carries Bond along the shores of Lake Garda and then southward, past Liguria toward Tuscany. Yet the Gorge’s Forra also stars in the video game “Ride3,” perhaps the finest motorcycle racing game on the market today. Moreover, it has featured in numerous car and motorcycle television spots, and stands as an ideal on-road testing ground for industry magazines.
The Strada della Forra: The Route
From the 65 meters of lakeside promenade to the 423 meters of the village of Pieve di Tremosine on Garda, one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, the Strada della Forra is a genuine engineering jewel that, when it was opened in 1913, proved radically revolutionary. It earned the merit of ending a centuries-long isolation and opening a new route of communication. Until then, to reach the harbor from which steamers departed or to reach other towns, the inhabitants of Tremosine had to traverse steep paths, carrying cargo up to the plateau or loading goods to be traded.
Interruption of the Strada della Forra
Because of a landslide in 2023, the road is passable downhill up to kilometer 3. It remains closed from kilometer 0 (the intersection of Gardesana and Strada della Forra, in the Porto area) to kilometer 3 (near the Madonna). For travelers coming from the northern side of Lake Garda, the plateau with its 17 villages of Tremosine can be reached by following Gardesana (SP 45 bis), continuing to Limone and then ascending from Bassanega. Arriving in Pieve, one can descend and traverse the section that is open. For those approaching from the southern shore, the same route is recommended, although it is possible to reach Tremosine by detouring via Tignale. On Thursdays and Sundays there is the possibility of guided excursions with partial access to the closed stretch, available by booking through Pro Loco Tremosine.
By car or motorbike (but not by bicycle)
Today, the Forra Road ranks among the most beautiful routes to drive in Italy, especially for motorcyclists. It can be traversed by car as well, provided you go slowly and yield to oncoming traffic at the tight sections and within the tunnels. For travelers looking to savor the route during a holiday, there is also the option to drive a camper (with a maximum height of 3 meters), bearing in mind that it is preferable to do so during the period when the uphill traffic direction is active. The road is also used by local buses, which run along the Forra according to seasonal timetables. In summertime, a shuttle service operates, starting from the village of Campione, crossing the road, and finishing in Pieve. Cycling this route is strongly discouraged. For two-wheeled travelers, a nearby alternative is the Garda cycling path, widely regarded as the most beautiful cycle path in Italy.
