Colle di Cadibona

The Colle di Cadibona, also known as the Bocchetta di Altare, sits just east of the town and marks one of the most significant geographical boundaries in Italy. At 459 metres, this unremarkable-looking mountain pass is actually the dividing line between the Ligurian Alps to the west and the Apennines extending south and east. Geographers trace the entire spine of the Italian peninsula from this modest col.

The pass is easily reached by car or on foot from Altare and provides good views over the surrounding hills. The road crossing it connects the coastal plain of Savona with the Po Valley interior. For walkers, several trails from the col give access to the higher ridges on either side, with the characteristic contrast between the Mediterranean scrubland on the south slope and the cooler, greener vegetation to the north.

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A story
Colle di Cadibona marks the point where the Ligurian Alps end and the Apennines begin — a geographical boundary that, at just 459 metres elevation, seems almost too modest for such significance. Hannibal is traditionally said to have crossed here on his way to Rome, though historians debate the exact route. What is certain is that this pass has served as a critical link between the Ligurian coast and the Po Valley for millennia.