Every year the number of Vehicle, therefore, traveling along the dense network of roads that entangles our entire planet is becoming more and more popular. All these paths look completely different, so it is difficult, if not impossible, to choose the most beautiful roads peace. It also offers several options on different continents, a trip through which can leave unforgettable experience.

1. Old Cretan Road, France

The Verdon Gorge is the largest canyon in Europe, it stretches for 25 kilometers, sometimes deepening up to 700 meters. In the warm season, its slopes are densely green from the crowns of trees and shrubs, only in some places you can see the stone of sheer rocky ledges. Particularly beautiful panoramas of the gorge are visible from the old Cretan road, otherwise called the Cretan loop. It was laid in the ancient period along the northern slope of the gorge. The road itself is much longer - about 100 kilometers, but its most beautiful section is connected with the canyon.
Often this narrow winding road passes dangerously close to a cliff. It has specially equipped viewing platforms, which offer especially impressive views of the Verdon. The Cretan Loop is a closed one-way road that travels clockwise. You can depart from the city of Castellane, heading towards the Sainte-Croix reservoir.

2. Pamir Highway, Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan

The amazingly beautiful Pamir Highway stretches for 720 kilometers, connecting the Tajik capital of Dushanbe with the city of Osh in Kyrgyzstan. This old road back in time Russian Empire when it fought a bitter rivalry with the British Empire for control of Central Asia. Then this tract was of strategic importance.
It was the highest road in the empire, as it was laid through a series of high-altitude Pamir passes - Kyzyl-Art, Taldyk, Akbaital, whose heights are in the range of 3615-4280 meters. And today, the path along such a difficult track is very difficult, so only an experienced driver and a reliable car should meddle here, only then you can enjoy the route, and not a death certificate. By the way, for most of the tract there is no asphalt pavement on it.
For those who dare to make such a journey, the majestic Pamir will show its magnificent snow-capped peaks, numerous tunnels, sheer cliffs and bottomless abysses.

In this article, we continue to acquaint you with the amazing and abandoned places of our planet. With the first eleven "ghost places" abandoned...

3. Dalton Highway, USA

This road crosses Alaska from south to north, dividing it in half. It is a very remote route - along its entire length there are only a few settlements, in which about 100 people live in total. The construction of this road in 1974 was designed by engineer Dalton, it was needed to connect with the Pradho area, where they began to produce oil. When preparing to travel along this road, you need to stock up on enough fuel, since there are only two gas stations along the entire route. There will be no one here to provide medical assistance or repair a car or motorcycle. But if the traveler is experienced and well prepared, then he will be able to get a generous portion of emotions from this harsh land.

4. Transfagaras Highway, Romania

This road passes through the territory of Transylvania and the region of Wallachia. This mountain road, which crosses the Fagaras massif, began to be built in 1970. The all-powerful President of Romania, N. Ceausescu, then decided to unite Transylvania and Wallachia with the help of this project. The recent political collisions in 1968 in Czechoslovakia with the threat of a military invasion also contributed to the construction, without which this picturesque mountain road would hardly have appeared. Therefore, Transfagarash was built as an important military road, but now it attracts tourists.
The length of the road is just over 260 kilometers, it winds through picturesque fields and valleys, where farmers still reap the golden ears of wheat by hand. Then she runs past deep reservoirs and pristine lakes, ancient villages with rows of gray stone houses lining the road as if to welcome travelers. At the beginning of the route there is an architecturally interesting town of Sibiu, where features of Roman, Romanesque and Slavic styles are visible.

The world is full of wonderful places. Any country, any corner of the Earth can boast of various creations of nature: somewhere they are waterfalls, somewhere they are beautiful ...

5. Atlantic Road, Norway

The peculiarity of the Atlantic Road, laid in the Møre og Romsdal region, is that it jumps from island to island, hovering over the depths of the fiords and periodically turns into tunnels, then into bridges. The length of this miracle of technical thought is quite small - 8.5 kilometers, but they had enough space for 6 bridges. Particularly impressive is the crossing, called the “bridge to heaven”: approaching it from the side of the mainland, it seems that at the top of the ascent, the path breaks off, and the traveler will rush in flight straight into the sky. Autumn trips leave quite different, but no less sharp impressions, when storms rage below.

6. Great Gate Road, China

The Chinese are not only diligent and diligent hard workers, but also have a weakness for numerology and symbolism since ancient times. Considered the world's steepest serpentine road, the Grand Gate Road in Hunan Province is also about numbers: with a modest length of only 11 kilometers, it makes 99 turns, climbing to a height of 1,300 meters. For the Chinese, the number 9 is sacred, it was the sign of the emperor, and according to popular beliefs, 9 palaces awaited each deceased in the afterlife. For this reason, the road was given such a sonorous name - "the road to heaven."
Particularly noteworthy is the “Heavenly Gates” cave, which was once formed after a huge piece broke off a rock. The height of the arches of the cave exceeds 130 meters, they are simply not visible in a cloud of fog. There is a legend that a traveler who has passed through the gate will end up in heaven, but at first he will have a difficult path to the top.

7. Route 40, Argentina

Highway number 40 crosses almost all of Argentina from north to south, along the eastern slopes of the Andes. Its length exceeds 5,000 kilometers, so on its way it passes several climatic zones. Driving along it, you can see different things: mountains, lakes, fields, forests, deserts, meadows, arid pampas, sand, dust and gravel. The strongest winds blow here, knocking you down, and the scorching South American sun shines serenely from above.
The road crosses 18 major rivers, 27 mountain passes, two dozen national parks - great places for parking. For example, in Los Glaciares Park there is a large Perito Moreno glacier, in which huge reserves of fresh water are concentrated. Its area is roughly comparable to the size of Buenos Aires, and it crawls at a speed of 2 meters per day. There are even viewing platforms for observing the glacier. Another interesting place is the Cave of Hands, where primitive people painted hunting scenes on the walls, and modern people left handprints everywhere.

Our home planet is filled with amazing beautiful places. Of course, they are all scattered in different corners of it, and that is why we have collected the TOP 10 with...

8. Great Circle of the Colorado Plateau, USA

To the west of the Rocky Mountains begins the territory of the American Wild West. The pioneers who began to colonize the territories of the Indians discovered unique natural objects, but then they were not up to them. Nowadays, a bus route has been organized here, which they called the “Great Circle Tour”.
It is most convenient to start the journey from Denver, from which at first there is an ascent to the Rocky Mountains National Park, where the source of the Colorado River is located, and then, after passing resort town Aspen, the path is heading towards the Colorado Plateau. During the trip, you can admire the famous Monument Valley, located on the lands of the Navajo, and Arches Park. Near the town of Page, on the side of the road, there is an inconspicuous sign indicating the direction of Antelope Canyon, which is worthy of attention. South of Page begins the Grand Canyon. If you drive along its south side, then along with the panorama of the canyon, a preserved section of the old Route 66, which crossed the entire USA from Los Angeles to Chicago, will flicker.
Not far from the Grand Canyon, you can settle in a real ranch for the night. The next day you can drive over the Hoover Dam - a technological landmark of the 30s of the last century, and from there the road to Las Vegas begins. Driving around the Great Circle clockwise, you can alternately visit the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

9. Great Ocean Road, Australia

Along the Australian coast Pacific Ocean in the state of Victoria, the Great Ocean Road stretches for 243 kilometers. It was built by soldiers returning from the battlefields of World War I, who so honored the memory of their dead comrades. This largest and most original memorial was opened in 1932, and 30 years later it was recognized as one of the most beautiful roads on the planet.
The road runs almost along the coast, so from it you can admire the surf and bright reflections of light reflected by the waters of the bays. There are many sights along the way, for example, the “shipwreck coast”, where the skeletons of 638 ships of various types lie. The solitary limestone rocks rising 45 meters above the water, which were called “Pig and Pigs”, but then renamed into more decent and boring “12 Apostles” (despite the fact that there are only 8 of them), look interesting. There is a similar story at London Arch, which for a long time was called "London Bridge" because it resembled the silhouette of Tower Bridge. However, in 1990, the waves washed away the span adjacent to the mainland, and instead of a bridge, an arch was obtained. In general, rapid and unexpected changes are the “chip” of the Great ocean road because the coastline, like a living organism, is constantly changing.

Such natural reservoirs as lakes are often extraordinarily picturesque - opposite shores are magnificently reflected in calm stagnant water...

10. Chuisky tract, Russia

The Chuysky tract stretches from Novosibirsk to the Mongolian border and is an element of the large Asian route AN4, which ends in the Pakistani city of Karachi. The length of the tract itself is 953 kilometers, which can be divided into flat, elevated and mountainous sections.
In the first two sections, the Chuisky tract is not particularly diverse, but, having climbed high into the mountains, it is able to cause genuine delight in the traveler. When driving from Novosibirsk, the beauty of the road gradually increases. After the Novosibirsk region begins Altai region, here, still along the plain, it passes Biysk and then goes deep into Altai. Before entering the Republic of Altai, the first important sight comes across - the village of Srostki, in which the wonderful actor and writer Vasily Shukshin was born. After a hundred kilometers, the most attractive mountainous section of the route begins, when the rapid Katun River with magnificent rapids becomes a neighboring road on the right. From here you can see mountain peaks with dense vegetation and sheer cliffs.

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Every country has highways, passes and roads that are known to the whole world, they appear in movies or films. Some of them are very interesting to ride, while others are too dangerous. You will see a selection of photos of the most amazing mountain roads and unique interchanges built in cities.

1. Col de Turini - France
Col de Turini - the road passing through alpine pass in the south of France. The height of the road is about 1.2 km above sea level. The road is part of the roads on which the annual Monte Carlo Rally is held.




2. Transfagarasan - Romania
This road is the highest paved road in Romania. It was built during the reign of the dictator Cheushescu as a strategic military facility in the period 1970 - 1974. The road connects historical areas Transylvania and Wallachia, and the cities of Sibiu and Pitesti. At the top of the mountain along which this road passes is a very beautiful glacial lake Bylya. During the construction, more than 6 million explosives were used and, according to official figures, 40 people died (according to unofficial data, 400). From October to June the road is closed to traffic.






3. Lysebotn Road - Norway
Lyseboth road is considered one of the most exciting roads in Europe. The road has 27 difficult turns and has a kilometer-long tunnel at the bottom.




4. The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road - UAE
The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road - a road in the United United Arab Emirates 12 km long. laid on a relatively low mountain of 1200 meters. There are stunning views of the desert from the road.






5. Stelvio Pass - Italy
This road, located in the Italian Alps, is one of the most difficult in the world. The average altitude here is 2757 meters. Stelvio Pass connects the villages of Valteplina and Mirano with high mountain valley Adige.






6. Los Caracoles Pass - Chile - Argentina
The road passes through the Andes and connects 2 countries South America- Chile and Argentina. The road runs along an extremely steep slope and has many very sharp turns, which is why it is considered one of the most difficult roads in the world.



7. San Bernardino Pass - Switzerland
This road passing through the San Bernardino Pass connects the Swiss cities of Misoks and Hinterhein and is also one of the highest roads in the world. The Sant Bernardino Pass is located at an altitude of 2065 meters above sea level.



8. Trollstigen - Norway
The Troll Road is one of the most famous sights in Norway. The road is relatively narrow, with 9% climbs and 11 difficult turns, but if you climb it you will have a stunning view of the fjord and the 320m high Stigfossen waterfall.




9. Iroha-zaka - Japan
This winding Japanese road connects the pilgrimage centers of Nikko and Oku Nikko. The road actually consists of two separate roads - for going down and for going up. Each of these roads has 48 turns, each corresponding to a certain letter of the alphabet.




10. Oberalp Pass - Switzerland
This incredible alpine road taking place in Swiss Alps is an important link between central Switzerland and Grisons. During the winter months, the road is closed to traffic and is used as a luge track.

This is my first post, hope you like it ;)

Simply driving any of the roads on this list is enough to have an amazing vacation! After all, along the way you can see the most beautiful places on our planet and feel the spirit of life on wheels. This place will never be forgotten.

1. On the edge of the abyss. France: Verdon Gorge

Grand Canyon, but not in the USA? Rocky gorge, but not in the desert? No matter how the Verdon Gorge is called, the fact remains that today it is the most grand canyon throughout Europe: its length is 25 kilometers, and the depth reaches 700 meters! Although the scale of the Verdon Gorge is inferior Arizona canyon, but it clearly surpasses it in beauty: in spring and summer, trees and shrubs cover the slopes with a thick layer, passing only in front of the most sheer cliffs. It will take a whole day to go around the gorge in a circle, although there are only a hundred kilometers. But they all consist entirely of bends, descents and ascents, man-made tunnels and driveways under rocks hanging overhead and hiding the sky.

2. High in the mountains. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan: Pamir Highway

Travelers are always attracted by places marked "most-most": the northernmost point of Europe, the westernmost point of Russia, the most high mountain, the most deep depression. The Pamir Highway is one of those places. After all, the highest mountain road in the territory of the former USSR.


One of the most exciting stops along the way is Karakul Lake, the largest in Tajikistan, located at an altitude of 3914 meters above sea level. From here begins a steep ascent to the spurs of the great Pamir. Rocks, gorges, tunnels, primer, dust, lack of vegetation, rare auls and flocks of sheep - such an almost Martian landscape stretches to the very descent into the valley already on the Tajik side.

3. From north to south. USA: Dalton Highway

This is Alaska, gentlemen! A harsh and at first glance unfriendly land, which will give unforgettable impressions and discover its riches only to a prepared and responsible traveler.


There really is something to share Alaska: the largest US state is still almost not spoiled by civilization, on its territory there are 23 (!) national parks and a reserve. Through some of them: the White Mountains, the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge, the reserves on the banks of the Yukon River, the Gates of the Arctic Wildlife Sanctuary - the Dalton Highway passes right through, either getting lost in a flat snow-covered or grassy plain, or winding between the surrounding wooded mountains on all sides.

4. To the homeland of Dracula. Romania: Transfagaras Highway

Transfagaras is one of the rare examples of how an object created for military purposes becomes famous all over the world and attracts many tourists to the country. The 261-kilometer highway passes through picturesque valleys and fields with eared wheat, which Romanians sometimes still harvest by hand, past lakes and reservoirs, through cute Romanian villages with identical dark stone houses. Not far from the beginning of the highway is the pretty town of Sibiu with classical Romanian architecture, where, as in the Romanian language, Latin, Romance and Slavic heritage are mixed.

5. Expanses of Altai. Russia: Chuisky tract

This old road is the first thread that connected Russia and China many centuries ago. Driving along the Chuisky tract is like crossing the whole of Russia. The path begins in Biysk, from birch groves and villages, in one of which the writer Vasily Shukshin was born. And after a hundred kilometers, it is worth passing Gorno-Altaisk, it seems as if you find yourself in the days of the development of Siberia: the stormy waters of the Katun, rocky gorges and green valleys. The mountain taiga begins.


If you turn left, you will get to Lake Teletskoye, to the right - to the foot of Belukha, where Roerich was looking for Shambhala on the way to the Himalayas. And if you drive straight all the time, you will see the Kurai steppe at the foot of the North-Chuysky ridge. If you wish, you can drive a few kilometers and climb on foot to the eternal snows. In the Kurai steppe, there are the last islands of the taiga, and already beyond the pass, the real steppe begins, where nomads' yurts stand and camel caravans roam.

6. Visit the trolls. Norway: Atlantic Road

The Atlantic road (No 64) goes almost along the ocean itself, jumping from island to island with the help of bridges and tunnels. This is a unique technological facility: the route is only 8.5 kilometers long - as many as six bridges! The main one is the Storseisundet Bridge, which is also called the "Bridge to Heaven". If you approach it from the side of the mainland, it seems as if the roadbed breaks off at highest point and the traveler can only jump straight into the sky.


However, the Atlantic road is only part of the route through the fjords. Moving along it further towards Oslo, you will come to one of the most famous serpentines in Europe - the “Troll Stairs” climbing the slope of the mountain. Harmful trolls often hang their stairs with thick fog, but this makes the serpentine even more beautiful: gray stones and bizarre rocks, densely overgrown with juicy bright green grass and moss, appear through the "milk".

7. Stand above the clouds. China: Big Gate Road

This road is one of the steepest serpentines in the world in every sense. She climbs Mount Tianmen, which is located 8 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie in southeast China. This 11 km long asphalt belt climbs up to 1300 meters, making 99 turns along the way! For the Chinese, the number 9 is sacred: it is the number of the emperor, as well as the number of palaces that, according to legend, are waiting for a person in heaven.


The main attraction of the route is the Heaven's Gate Cave. It was formed in the III century, when a huge block broke off from the rock. The 131.5 meter high "gate" is often completely shrouded in fog. locals they believe that, having passed through them, one can really go to heaven.

8. Through the pampas. Argentina: Route 40

Highway number 40 (Ruta 40) crosses almost all of Argentina from north to south and goes along the high Andean ridges. This is one of the longest roads in the world: 5,000 kilometers is no joke! Especially if they pass through several climatic zones. The landscape around is constantly changing: forests, rocks, lakes, fields, meadows, deserts, almost uninhabited pampas, asphalt and gravel, dust and red sand, sun and wind knocking down...


Los Glaciares Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site natural heritage, you can visit the Perito Moreno Glacier, where the third largest fresh water reserve in the world is located. Its area is quite comparable to the area of ​​the whole of Buenos Aires, while the glacier is in constant motion, changing its location by an average of 2 meters every day. You can love them as viewing platforms, and went for a walk right on the crumbled ice, accompanied by a climber.

9. Colorado Plateau. USA: Great Circle

The American Wild West is the territories west of the Rocky Mountains. When the pioneers first began to develop Indian territories, they stumbled upon unique natural attractions that they could not appreciate. Today this area is called the "Great Circle".


The most convenient way to go from Denver is to first climb to the Rocky Mountains National Park, where the Colorado River originates, and follow further through Aspen to the Colorado Plateau. On the way, it is worth seeing Arches Park and the famous Monument Valley in the territory of the Navajo Indians. Near the town of Page, you can not miss the inconspicuous Antelope Canyon - on the side of the road there will be a simple wooden billboard with the appropriate inscription. Here it is worth going for a boat trip on Lake Powell, since you can rent a boat. A little south of Page begins the famous Grand Canyon. If you drive along its southern part, then in addition to views of the canyon, you will be able to catch a preserved piece of the first trans-American Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.

10. Along the edge of the continent. Australia: Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road, 243 kilometers long, runs along the Pacific coast of Australia. The road has no practical significance - it was built by soldiers who returned from the First World War as a monument to the victims of the battles. After opening in 1932, the road became the largest military memorial in the world, and thirty years later it was recognized as one of the most picturesque on the planet. And for good reason: the track runs almost along the coast itself, from where you can see the endless expanses of water and quiet secluded lagoons. Among the main attractions along the way is the mysterious "Shipwreck Coast", which has wrecked 638 ships. And the "Twelve Apostles" - a group of limestone rocks standing separately in the ocean up to 45 meters high. In fact, there are only eight rocks here, and until recently they were called only “Pig and Pigs”.

Independent car and motorcycle trips are becoming an increasingly popular form of recreation. We have selected ten of the most interesting roads on four continents, which can be a good reason to travel.

1. On the edge of the abyss. France: Verdon Gorge

Grand Canyon, but not in the USA? Rocky gorge, but not in the desert? No matter how the Verdon Gorge is called, the fact remains that today it is the largest canyon in all of Europe: its length is 25 kilometers, and the depth reaches 700 meters! Although the scale of the Verdon Gorge is inferior to the Arizona canyon, it clearly surpasses it in beauty: in spring and summer, trees and shrubs cover the slopes with a thick layer, passing only in front of the most sheer cliffs. It will take a whole day to go around the gorge in a circle, although there are only a hundred kilometers. But they all consist entirely of bends, descents and ascents, man-made tunnels and driveways under rocks hanging overhead and hiding the sky. The most beautiful views of the gorge open from the old Cretan road, or the Cretan loop (Route des Cretes, D23), built in ancient times and passing along the northern edge of the canyon. This narrow winding path in places comes to the very cliff. There are observation decks along its edges, each of which offers breathtaking views of the Verdon. The Cretan loop is considered one-way: you need to drive a car along it clockwise, starting from the town of Castellane towards the artificial lake Sainte-Croix, which was formed after the construction of a dam in 1975. You can swim in the lake and spend a few contemplative hours in the shade of trees with wine and a crispy French baguette. The Luberon Nature Reserve is located 100 kilometers from Verdon Park. It is worth stopping by to admire the leisurely village life and visit the ruins of one of the castles of the famous Marquis de Sade.

2. High in the mountains. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan: Pamir Highway

Travelers are always attracted by places marked "the most-most": the northernmost point of Europe, the westernmost point of Russia, the highest mountain, the deepest depression. The Pamir Highway is one of those places. After all, the highest mountain road in the territory of the former USSR. This almost completely dirt road climbs the spurs of the Pamir Mountains and passes through the three main mountain passes of the Pamirs: Taldyk (3615 m), Kyzyl-Art (4280 m) and the point closest to the "Roof of the World" - the Akbaital Pass (4655 m). Eastern part tract - from the Kyrgyz city of Osh to the Tajik Khorog - was built in 1931-1934, when the USSR was actively developing the territory of the mountainous Pamirs. It passes through the green foothills, where horses graze and lonely yurts and dung-smeared huts stand, as well as past the Pamir National Park, over which Lenin Peak (7134 m) rises.

AWL Images/Fotodom The Pamir Highway is open for travel only in warm weather - in winter there is a high risk of avalanches.

One of the most exciting stops along the way is Karakul Lake, the largest in Tajikistan, located at an altitude of 3914 meters above sea level. From here begins a steep ascent to the spurs of the great Pamir. Rocks, gorges, tunnels, primer, dust, lack of vegetation, rare villages and flocks of sheep - such an almost Martian landscape stretches to the very descent into the valley already on the Tajik side. Your fellow travelers all this time will be trucks, donkeys and jeeps, crammed inside and hung with luggage outside. Turning off the highway, you can visit several more interesting places: the villages of local residents, the Farewell to Youth pass, the Yamchun fortress of fire worshipers, Bibi-Fatima hot springs and much more.

3. From north to south. USA: Dalton Highway

The Dalton Highway is 666 kilometers of dirt road that crosses Alaska almost in the middle from north to south. The route was built in 1974 to deliver cargo to the oil fields of Pradhoe Bay and service the Trans-Alaskan oil pipeline. And the name was given in honor of the engineer James Dalton, a specialist in Arctic construction. On a motorcycle or some overly gluttonous car, one must be careful to meddle here: on the entire highway between Fairbanks, 100 kilometers from which it begins, and Deadhorse, where it ends, there are only two gas stations: at the Yukon River crossing and in Coldfoot (400 km from Fairbanks), so it is better to take the necessary supply of gasoline, as well as tires, tools, food and other essentials with you right away. Medical assistance is also available only in Coldfoot or Deadhorse. This is Alaska, gentlemen! A harsh and at first glance unfriendly land, which will give unforgettable impressions and discover its riches only to a prepared and responsible traveler. Alaska really has something to share: the largest US state is still almost not spoiled by civilization; 23 (!) National parks and reserves are located on its territory. Through some of them: the White Mountains, the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge, the reserves on the banks of the Yukon River, the Gates of the Arctic Wildlife Sanctuary - the Dalton Highway passes right through, either getting lost in a flat snow-covered or grassy plain, or winding between the surrounding wooded mountains on all sides. Another obligatory ritual of all travelers passing along the highway is to take a picture against the background of the sign indicating the Arctic Circle.

4. To the homeland of Dracula. Romania: Transfagaras Highway

When planning the construction of a high-altitude highway through the Fagaras massif in 1970, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu thought least of all about creating an attractive tourist route. Worried about the events in Czechoslovakia, he feared a military invasion of the country and therefore decided to connect the regions of Wallachia and Transylvania with a hard-to-reach mountain road for the speedy transfer military equipment. Now Transfagaras is one of the rare examples of how an object created for military purposes becomes famous all over the world and attracts many tourists to the country. The 261-kilometer highway passes through picturesque valleys and fields with eared wheat, which Romanians sometimes still harvest by hand, past lakes and reservoirs, through cute Romanian villages with identical dark stone houses. Not far from the beginning of the highway is the pretty town of Sibiu with classical Romanian architecture, where, as in the Romanian language, Latin, Romance and Slavic heritage are mixed. Almost every village along the way has Orthodox Church, and a church, and a mosque. And in the town of Curtea de Arges, you can admire the cathedral with stunning carvings and stucco on the walls. On the Transylvanian side of the Carpathians, Count Dracula awaits travelers. It is found everywhere: in the names of streets, restaurants and hotels, in souvenir shops, in ancient castles. One of them is Poienari Castle, towering over the canyon of the Argesh River, in the 15th century it belonged to Prince Vlad II Tepes, who became the prototype of the famous Dracula. The other is Bran Castle a little off the Transfagaras Highway, where Count Dracula has never been, but where he was “settled” by the writer Bram Stoker, thanks to whom the world learned about Dracula.

5. Expanses of Altai. Russia: Chuisky tract

This old road is the first thread that connected Russia and China many centuries ago. Driving along the Chuisky tract is like crossing the whole of Russia. The path begins in Biysk, from birch groves and villages, in one of which the writer Vasily Shukshin was born. And after a hundred kilometers, it is worth passing Gorno-Altaisk, it seems as if you find yourself in the days of the development of Siberia: the stormy waters of the Katun, rocky gorges and green valleys. The mountain taiga begins. If you turn left, you will get to Lake Teletskoye, and to the right, you will reach the foot of Belukha, where Roerich was looking for Shambhala on the way to the Himalayas. And if you drive straight all the time, you will see the Kurai steppe at the foot of the North-Chuysky ridge. If you wish, you can drive a few kilometers and climb on foot to the eternal snows. In the Kurai steppe, there are the last islands of the taiga, and already beyond the pass, the real steppe begins, where nomads' yurts stand and camel caravans roam. Such a trip should not be planned for a week, because each turn is an occasion for a separate small trip. Mentions of the current Chuisky tract, formerly called Mungalsky, can be found in Chinese sources of a thousand years ago. From then until the beginning of the 20th century, it was just a mountain path used by merchants and pilgrims going to the sacred tree in the upper reaches of the Katun River. The wheel road from Ongudai to Kosh-Agach (255 km) was equipped only by 1903. Today, the Chuisky tract is one of the few roads in the world that has been awarded its own museum. It is located in the building of the Biysk Museum of Local Lore - here you can see archival documents and photographs, a three-dimensional layout of the road, paintings and dioramas.

6. Visit the trolls. Norway: Atlantic Road

The Atlantic road (No 64) goes almost along the ocean itself, jumping from island to island with the help of bridges and tunnels. This is a unique technological facility: the route is only 8.5 kilometers long - as many as six bridges! The main one is the Storseisundet Bridge, which is also called the “Bridge to Heaven”. If you approach it from the side of the mainland, it seems as if the canvas of the route breaks off at the highest point and the traveler can only jump straight into the sky. The impression is enhanced if you drive along the Atlantic Road in the fall, when the storm season begins: huge waves roll on small islands, crash with a crash on the bridge supports, and sometimes cover the entire road, trying to lick the cars driving along it. However, the Atlantic Road is only part of the route through the fjords. Moving along it further towards Oslo, you will come to one of the most famous serpentines in Europe - the Troll Stairs (Trollstigen) climbing the slope of the mountain. Harmful trolls often hang their stairs with thick fog, but this makes the serpentine even more beautiful: gray stones and bizarre rocks, densely overgrown with juicy bright green grass and moss, appear through the "milk". At the top of the mountain, visibility sometimes drops to 3-5 meters: the more interesting it is to look at sheep suddenly appearing from the fog, black lakes and numerous stone pyramids built by tourists, or maybe by the trolls themselves ... If you drive even further along highway 63 ( and there is almost nowhere to get away from it), you will get to one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway - Geiranger. Here you can admire the numerous waterfalls, fish or just wander around.

7. Stand above the clouds. China: Big Gate Road

The Chinese are famous not only for their diligence and perseverance (which is worth the Great Chinese Wall!), but also love for symbols, signs and numbers. Therefore, even a person who is far from Asian culture will not be able to just drive along the Big Gate Road. The fact is that this road is one of the steepest serpentines in the world in every sense. She climbs Mount Tianmen, which is located 8 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie in southeast China. This 11 km long asphalt belt climbs up to 1300 meters, making 99 turns along the way! For the Chinese, the number 9 is sacred: it is the number of the emperor, as well as the number of palaces that, according to legend, are waiting for a person in heaven. That is why the road to Tianmen is also called the “Road to Heaven”.

Age/East News In China, traditional boats are still a popular means of transportation.

The main attraction of the route is the cave "Heaven's Gate". It was formed in the III century, when a huge block broke off from the rock. The 131.5 meter high "gate" is often completely shrouded in fog. Locals believe that passing through them, you can really go to heaven. But to earn this right, you have to work hard. There are several ways to get to the cave. The easiest is to drive a car or a tourist bus, the more extreme one is to make a “express climb” in a sports car with a professional racing driver behind the wheel, and the most difficult one is to climb an impressive staircase with 999 steps. If you want a truly breathtaking experience, you should climb to the top on the longest funicular in the world (7455 meters!) - from its windows you can see the entire winding line of the road.

8. Through the pampas. Argentina: Route 40

Route No 40 (Ruta 40) crosses almost all of Argentina from north to south and goes along the high Andean ridges. This is one of the longest roads in the world: 5,000 kilometers is no joke! Especially if they pass through several climatic zones. The landscape around is constantly changing: forests, rocks, lakes, fields, meadows, deserts, almost uninhabited pampas, asphalt and gravel, dust and red sand, sun and knocking wind, 27 mountain passes, 18 major rivers, finally, 20 national parks, in each of which you can spend several days. For example, in the Los Glaciares Park, listed by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site, you can visit the Perito Moreno Glacier, where the third largest fresh water reserve in the world is located. Its area is quite comparable to the area of ​​the whole of Buenos Aires, while the glacier is in constant motion, changing its location by an average of 2 meters every day. You can admire it both from viewing platforms and by going for a walk right on the crumbled ice, accompanied by a climber. The same road leads to the famous "Cave of the Hands" (Cueva de las Manos), where all the walls are covered with human handprints and images of hunting scenes, the oldest of which date back to the ninth millennium BC. Special attention deserves the second largest national park Argentina - "Valley of Calchaqi" (Calchaqi Walley), where you can get from the mountain deserts into the subtropical forest in one day - the climate changes so dramatically in one relatively small piece of land. And, of course, it is worth driving along Ruta 40 to be impressed by the "Martian" landscapes of the deserts and look at the flamingos living on the lakes of Patagonia.

9. Colorado Plateau. USA: Great Circle

The American Wild West is the territory west of the Rocky Mountains. When the pioneers first began to develop Indian territories, they stumbled upon unique natural attractions that they could not appreciate. Today this area is called the "Great Circle" (Grand Circle). The name came from bus tour, which was called the Grand Circle Tour. The most convenient way to go from Denver is to first climb to the Rocky Mountains National Park, where the Colorado River originates, and follow further through Aspen to the Colorado Plateau. On the way, it is worth seeing the Arches Park (arches.national-park.com) and the famous Monument Valley in the territory of the Navajo Indians. Near the town of Page, you can not miss the inconspicuous Antelope Canyon - on the side of the road there will be a simple wooden billboard with the appropriate inscription. Here it is worth going for a boat trip on Lake Powell, since you can rent a boat. Just south of Page begins the famous Grand Canyon (grandcanyon.com). If you drive along its southern part, then in addition to views of the canyon, you will be able to catch a preserved piece of the first trans-American Route 66 (illinoisroute66.org) from Chicago to Los Angeles. Here it is worth turning again towards the Grand Canyon, living on a real ranch (grandcanyonranch.com). And only then go to the Hoover Dam - giant monument era of the 30s of the last century, from where the direct path to Las Vegas begins. So you will cross the Great Circle from east to west, visiting four states - Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. You can’t see all the beauty of Grand Circle in one trip - after all, the Colorado Plateau has the largest concentration of parks in the United States - so be prepared to return here again.

10. Along the edge of the continent. Australia: Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road, 243 kilometers long, runs along the Pacific coast of Australia. The road has no practical significance - it was built by soldiers who returned from the First World War as a monument to the victims of the battles. After opening in 1932, the road became the largest military memorial in the world, and thirty years later it was recognized as one of the most picturesque on the planet. And for good reason: the track runs almost along the coast itself, from where you can see the endless expanses of water and quiet secluded lagoons. Among the main attractions along the way is the mysterious Shipwreck Coast, which has wrecked 638 ships. And the "Twelve Apostles" - a group of limestone rocks standing separately in the ocean up to 45 meters high. In fact, there are only eight rocks here, and until recently they were called only “Pig and Pigs”. The poetic name "The Twelve Apostles" appeared simply to attract tourists. A similar story has another rock about 20 million years old - "London Arch". For a long time it was called "London Bridge" for its amazing resemblance to the Tower Bridge, and in 1990, when the span closest to the mainland collapsed under the pressure of ocean waves, it turned into an "arch". This is the uniqueness of the Great Ocean Road: the coastline is changing so quickly that tomorrow you can no longer see what was today. It is worth driving here not only to admire the scenery, lie on the beach or conquer the wave. It is also an Australian "safari" route: in Warrnambool you can watch the migration of southern whales, and in the Tower Hill Game Reserve, walk with kangaroos and emus and look at koalas and seabirds.