Built in the 1820s to replace the Septimer Pass, the road connects the Engadin valley with the eastern region of Switzerland known as Graubünden. At its highest point, the Julier Pass soars to 2,284 metres (7,492 feet) above sea level and boasts a reputation as perhaps the most stunning mountain road in Switzerland – if not the world. From Zurich, it is around 100 miles to Tiefencastel, after which the extreme beauty of the surroundings, combined with the mixture of flat sections and tight bends, create a superb drivers’ road all the way to the Pass itself – particularly recommended in a (well-heated) open-topped sports car.

Once across the Pass, it is only a few miles to Silvaplana, which is itself a short drive from St. Moritz or Sils Maria.

Photos: Jan Baedeker