Tony Haycock , 1 May 2011

I was finally getting to drive the Passa della Stelvio (The Stelvio Pass). Voted by Top Gear as the best motoring road in Europe, this was one of the must-do's on my wish list for the trip. Now I know a long wheelbase diesel van with seven people on board is by no stretch of the imagination a sporting vehicle, but sometimes one must make do with the resources at one's disposal!

So a couple of hours later we are approaching the border with Switzerland, and according to my friend the GPS we are starting to swing east rather than north. We start climbing through a series of small tunnels and overhanging canopies to keep snow and/or rocks off the narrowing road surface. Then we see it. A series of switchbacks as the road ahead disappears up the hillside and out of sight. Time for a photo stop to prove we had been there and it is time to start mountain climbing.

Just to add to the sense of occasion, what was coming toward us but an unrestored type 37A Bugatti! Now that I thought would be the ultimate way to do a road like this. Little did we know what was waiting further ahead for us.

Finding a picnic area a hundred or so meters below the summit, we stopped and once again ate far too much of the fine supplies purchased from the supermarket in Como. Here we were, 2598 meters above sea level, surrounded by snow banks still higher than the van in places, in shorts and tee shirts in 20+ degree sunshine. To add to our viewing pleasure, a Porsche 365 roadster came past, hading down. "Not bad " we thought. Then a large Bugatti touring car came past. And another. Now to see one Bugatti on the road is rare, two is unheard of so when the fourth one came by, we knew something was up. Time to pack up and investigate.

Pulling into the carpark at the summit was s sight which we were not expecting. The lunch-stop of an international Bugatti rally. At least thirty Bugattis, road cars, racing cars, grand prix cars and even the latest Veyron all lined up while the owners were in the restaurant. Needless to say, quite some time was spent wandering around, taking in some of the world's most breathtaking scenery, surrounded by some of the most magnificent cars ever built.

Realising we still had a reasonable distance to cover to get to our anticipated stop for the night, the medieval town of Sirmione on the south western shores of Lake Garda, we very reluctantly remounted the van for the second part of the pass. Just as we were about to pull out, the boys in the back let out a yell. The most stunning car built in Italy had just pulled in. A brand new Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Our two Italian loving lads would have ripped the side out of the van to get to it if I hadn't stopped.

Heading over the summit, we then saw the part of the road which is seen in photos. Mile after mile of hairpin bends heading down the mountain. Approaching the first right hander, I had my brother looking over the side of the wall watching for oncoming traffic (mostly motorbikes). When he gave the word I swung across to the left-hand (wrong) side of the road and then swung the van around. It would be no exaggeration to say that if it had been 10mm longer I would have had to make 80+ three-point turns.

Even handicapped by the equipment at hand, it was indeed one of the best driving experiences I have had, and I can assure you that I will be going back, and it won't be in a van!