San Pellegrino in Alpe, located in 1525 meters in height, it represents the highest point of the Apennines, positioned on the border line between Emilia Romagna And Tuscany. This place should not be confused with San Pellegrino Terme, which is located in the province of Bergamo. The village is accessible from Emilia Romagna by crossing the Roots Pass, a steep route that winds through fir and pine forests of the Selva Romanesca. On the other side, the Tuscan side can be reached by taking the provincial road that starts from Castelnuovo in Garfagnana.
The spiritual heart of the village is the Sanctuary of Saints Pellegrino and Bianco, which takes its name from its protectors. Legend has it that Pilgrim was a prince, perhaps Scottish or Irish, who renounced the throne to wander towards the Holy Land. After years of travel and prayer, he died in these mountains together with his traveling companion, San Bianco, a converted former brigand. Their mummified remains are now kept inside the sanctuary, which can be visited from dawn to dusk in the warmer months, and on winter weekends.
Inside the sanctuary there is a bas-relief which portrays the saint with the staff and the purse, symbols of the pilgrim. This image evokes travel as an experience of discovery and reflection, a theme also dear to Lazzaro Spallanzani, to whom the Spallanzani path which starts from Reggio Emilia and reaches San Pellegrino in Alpe.
The Spallanzani path it is a tribute to the scientist born in Scandiano in 1729, known for his studies and naturalistic observations. The route, established in 1988, crosses the Reggio Emilia Apennines and culminates at Passo delle Radici, offering an immersive experience in nature and the history of science.
San Pellegrino in Alpe is also an important stage of the Via Vandelli, an ancient road designed in 1739 by Domenico Vandelli to connect Modena to the Tyrrhenian Sea. This historic route, which crosses the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Apuan Alps, is still practicable and signposted today, as described in Giulio Ferrari’s book “La Via Vandelli. Ancient road, new path”.
The village has a rich and fascinating history, linked to the travel and trade of the past. The ancient Hospitalnow transformed into an ethnographic museum, testifies to daily life and local traditions, with particular attention to the chestnut, a fundamental food for the Apennine populations, promoted by Matilde of Canossa for its nutritional importance.
The view from San Pellegrino in Alpe is breathtaking, with a view of the Apuan Alps, Mount Cusna and other significant mountains of the Apennines. On clear days, it is possible to see as far as La Spezia, where the sky merges with the sea.
