Trade Routes

I noticed in City and Gild that there is a trade route from the Holy Roman Empire to Northern Italy, through the Alps. Travelling through the Alps in the middle ages can't be very safe, but does anyone know any specifics about this route? Details? History?
The covenant in my campaign (which seems to finally be getting on it's feet) is set in the southern Holy Roman Empire, south bank of the Rhine. I would love to include the Mediterranean Sea in my campaign, and the Levant in some way, but keep it in Europe.
So, the question would be, how, and where, would one travel through the Alps in the middle ages?

Cheers,

E.

Not sure when exactly it was but I remeber hearing about a naval battle in a lake in northern italy where one side split their forces and sailed 1/2 up from the south, and had the other half carried over the alps so they could attack from 2 sides at once... despite the 2 pronged attack and a larger force they lost.

The romans had to have some way to move their armies about, so I'd expect a decent road and the only real bandits would be the local lords who set up toll collections.

Mostly by the Little and Great Saint Bernard Pass. By horse or mule, no wagons.

The Saint Gotthard Pass is barely used in the 1200s as a travel route, mainly due to difficulties fording a river enroute - no bridge there yet.

The Rhine is said to be navigable up to Basel.

You can probably borrow my Sanctuary of Ice book sometime :slight_smile:

Ah, yes, I own that book. Forgotten all about it. :slight_smile:

E.