High in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, San Pellegrino in Alpe is the sort of place that makes a road trip feel properly rewarding. At 1,525 metres above sea level, this small mountain settlement sits between the Garfagnana and the Modena Apennines, with one particularly odd detail running through its stone lanes.
A few steps can take visitors from Tuscany into Emilia-Romagna. The regional line crosses the village’s historic centre, passes through its sanctuary and even divides a historic bar and restaurant. Most unusually, it also cuts through the place where the remains of two revered hermits are kept.
San Pellegrino in Alpe is divided between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna
One section of San Pellegrino in Alpe belongs to the municipality of Castiglione di Garfagnana, in the province of Lucca, Tuscany. Another falls under Frassinoro, in the province of Modena, Emilia-Romagna.
The Frassinoro section is a small exclave of Emilia-Romagna, surrounded by Tuscan territory. There are no gates, barriers or formal border controls. The change happens quietly, marked only by signs and local references to an administrative line with roots going back centuries.
A border with an unusual historical legacy
San Pellegrino’s position made it an important crossing point between the Serchio Valley and the Modena side of the Apennines. During the Middle Ages, pilgrims, merchants and other travellers passed through the mountain route, and a church and hospice were established as a place of shelter.
The unusual boundary dates back to the political divisions that shaped the area.
From the 15th century, much of the Garfagnana came under the control of the Este family of Modena, while Castiglione di Garfagnana remained connected to Lucca. San Pellegrino was divided between the two powers, and that arrangement remained in place through later changes to Italy’s pre-unification states.
The result is today’s border between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, with a small part of Frassinoro isolated inside Tuscany.
The sanctuary where the saints’ remains lie in two regions
The Sanctuary of Saints Pellegrino and Bianco stands at the centre of the village and is the clearest example of the split. The regional border passes directly through the building.
Behind the high altar, an urn holds the remains of Pellegrino and Bianco, two hermits venerated by local communities for centuries. Their heads and torsos lie on the Emilia-Romagna side of the boundary, while the rest of their bodies are in Tuscany.
Things to see in San Pellegrino in Alpe
- Sanctuary of Saints Pellegrino and Bianco
The village’s central landmark sits directly on the Tuscany–Emilia-Romagna border.
- Museo Etnografico Provinciale Don Luigi Pellegrini
Housed in the former hospice, this small museum documents rural and pastoral life in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.
- Giro del Diavolo
This roughly 3-kilometre loop starts in the village centre and follows the mule track marked CAI 50 towards the ridge.
- Molo di Pietra viewpoint
A local viewpoint near San Pellegrino in Alpe, with views across the surrounding Apennine landscape.
Getting to San Pellegrino in Alpe
San Pellegrino in Alpe can be reached by car from both Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna.
The Tuscan approach runs through the Garfagnana, via Castiglione di Garfagnana and then Chiozza. The road gains height quickly and includes numerous bends.
On the Emilia-Romagna side, the main reference point is Passo delle Radici, at just over 1,500 metres, followed by the road towards the village.
The village is small enough to explore on foot after parking near the settlement. The sanctuary, museum and viewpoints are within easy walking distance.
Information based on The Wom Travel article: Il paese diviso in due da un confine che pochi notano
