Lotus Elise Alps to Istria Road Trip

DonCorson · 2012-11-02T10:18:21Z

Join DonCorson on a Lotus Elise road trip through the Alps to Istria, Croatia. Discover scenic routes, driving impressions, and a visit to Habring.

DonCorson

WPS member · Automotive forum

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DonCorson takes readers on an exhilarating road trip through the Alps and down to Istria, Croatia, in his Lotus Elise. This article captures the essence of automotive passion, blending scenic European landscapes with the joy of driving a performance car, offering a unique travelogue for enthusiasts.

Driving Around

Before the onset of winters cold stiffening our joints it is time to get out and around. So we decided to let Elise run a bit and take a little road journey through the Alps and down to Istria in north western Croata, an area where we have never been before. To make the drive interesting we decided to avoid the highways and take back roads for the most part. First estimations show a total trip distance of something less than 2000km. Of course we didn't want to miss any mountain passes either.

Our first day was to take us from home to Merano in South Tirol, northern Italy. We leave the highway at Landquart, through the Prättigau to Davos and then across the Fluela Pass (1923meters) into the Engadin (we’ve been there before, click here).

Arriving in the Engadin valley we head a short distance toward St. Moritz and then turn left in Zernez to head up through the Swiss National Park (many very slow drivers blocking the wonderful roads where Elise would prefer to push the speed limits) and to the Ofen Pass (2149 meters).

After passing the Alps we continue on toward Merano where we make our stop for the first evening. We left home to good weather, but nearing Merano it starts raining.

Nice hotel in an old castle. Here we see the stairs to the best part of the evening, the indoor pool to loosen those muscles a bit after a day in the car.

We wake to heavy rain. Our drive continues east to the Austrian border, then following the southernmost Austrian valley, the Gailtal. I am sure that if we ever take that road again we will oooh and aaah at all the scenic beauty we missed because of rain and fog. At least we weren't bothered by long stretches of boring straight road. A good portion of it only 1 and a half lanes wide, it was as fun as the weather allowed.

Our destination was - you guessed it - Völkermarkt to visit Richard and Maria Habring. Click here to see more about that visit.

The next morning we head due south through Slovenia to Croatia. The boarder between Austria and Slovenia is at the Seebergsattel. This pass isn't very high at 1218 meters but the road is steep and twisty so I thought we had gone up much more and was surprised by the modest number on the sign.

As the weather improved through the day we ended up in a little paradise in Istria.

Guarded over by the Austrian Empire’s most famous high blood pressure patient we learned about the excellent Croatian wine and seafood.

The next morning breaks, the view across the Kvarner Bay.

Although Elise was ready to keep on moving we decided to take a break and just enjoy the place.

The next afternoon I ventured out for a little drive around Mount U?ka, the mountain behind us when we look out over the bay.

As we can see here there, it seems that the Croatians are also motor sport fans and slaloms are organised regularly on these roads.

We enjoy a last morning and then head back to Merano, this time directly through the Italian Dolomite Mountains.

The weather was magnificent, the trees just turning their colors. Two more passes on the way back, but I forgot to stop at the second one. And yes there was a little snow on the ground.

After another night in Merano with pool we headed back by the same route to home. For this little outing we totalled 2085km and 5.7liters/100km gas mileage (41mpg) despite letting Elise sing loudly in the mountains wherever possible.

Good car, nice roads, a wonderful drive.
To be repeated.

This message has been edited by DonCorson on 2012-11-02 10:27:09

Key Points from the Discussion

The Lotus Elise is highlighted as an ideal car for experiencing the winding roads and mountain passes of the Alps, offering an engaging driving experience.
The trip emphasizes avoiding highways in favor of back roads, which, despite challenging weather conditions, provided a more scenic and enjoyable journey through diverse European landscapes.
The journey included a visit to Richard and Maria Habring in Völkermarkt, combining automotive travel with a horological interest.
The overall experience, encompassing the car, roads, landscapes, and even the visit to Habring, is described as a fulfilling and desirable lifestyle.

The Discussion

ThomasM

Nov 2, 2012

European roads are...let's just say, I can't get back to drive them, in a decent car! Thanks, TM

amanico

Nov 2, 2012

That is my kind of program! Thanks for the superb escape. We should think about meeting in the swiss raods, one of these days. I am doing some improvements on my Volvo, then I will have a long drive abroad. You'll test the Volvo, I'll test your Lotus. ;) Best! Nicolas

bimbeano

Nov 2, 2012

I say it once again Don! You are very lucky living in a region with these kind of roads and you bought one of the best cars to experience it! That fuel consuption is just amazing, can assure you my Clio ads at least 3 to 4 litres to that :-). Bim

VMM

Nov 2, 2012

Great pics. Everything looks so tempting; the car, the roads, the places, the landscapes, the Habring, the food, etc That's life, to me. Thanks, for taking us there. Vte :)

SALMANPK

Nov 3, 2012

I love how the trees are changing color. S

small-luxury-world

Nov 4, 2012

I can imagine :-) Thanks, for sharing! Oliver

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