Unlike the other tours, the main focus of this route lies in the west of South Tyrol. Or rather: in the southwest. It also leads over winding, spectacular mountain and pass roads, including the Mendel Pass, which has become famous not least for its historic mountain race.
We start in front of the front door at Ritten and drive – as usual – down to Bolzano. This time we have to cross the provincial capital from north to south, whereby we follow the signposts to Kaltern or to the South Tyrolean Wine Route. Finally we take the SS 42 past Sigmundskron Castle and a first step up to Überetsch. We drive past St. Pauls and St. Michael to Oberplanitzing, where the classic Mendelpass road begins: a miracle of curves that represents pure fun to every biker.
Once on the Mendelpass, the border between South Tyrol and Trentino and thus also the language border, we take our obligatory breather before we go via Ronzone to Sarnonico. There we turn right and take the SS 43dir and – once you reach Fondo – turn right again onto the Gampenpass road (SS 238). Over the Deutschnonsberg, which is called that here because of the German communities, we drive on the Gampenpass and from there on a narrow, winding road down to Lana near Meran.
Those who want can take a detour from here to the famous spa town, those who prefer to take the way back on wheels, drive from Lana towards MeBo. The abbreviation by which the public refers to the SS 38 stands for the highway from Merano to Bolzano. Once you have arrived in the state capital, you only have to go up Rittner Straße and back to the high plateau.
