Via Claudia Augusta Alpine Crossing

Emperor Claudius built this route in 46 AD to move Roman legions across the Alps, and you’re still following their wheel ruts today. The Via Claudia Augusta climbs from Germany’s Danube River through the Fernpass at 1,209 meters, then drops into Austria’s Inn Valley before tackling the brutal Reschenpass ascent to 1,504 meters elevation. Modern tarmac covers most of the route, but sections near Landeck and approaching the Reschen Lake still follow the original Roman stone roadbed. You’ll cross the same Alpine watersheds that stopped Hannibal’s elephants, with switchbacks carved into mountainsides that haven’t changed their line in two millennia.

Any vehicle handles this paved mountain crossing, but weather can shut down the high passes from October through April. The route demands attention—sudden weather changes and steep grades mean you keep your eyes on the road, not just the scenery. Summer brings motorcycle traffic on the passes, while spring and fall offer clearer mountain views. Fuel and supplies are available in major towns like Landeck and Merano. You’re driving through living history here, with Roman milestones still marking distances and medieval castles perched on the same strategic heights the legions once fortified.