The Via dei Giovetti is the mountain pass that explains why Massimino exists at all. Running through the ridge that separates Liguria from the Piedmontese interior, the pass provided a viable route between the coast and the Po valley at a time when routes through these mountains mattered — for merchants moving salt and olive oil inland, for troops moving between the Republic of Genoa and its rivals, and for the ordinary commerce of upland life. Genoa acquired Massimino in 1713 specifically for the control it gave over this crossing.
Today the pass is quiet, and the road that crosses it carries almost no traffic. But the walk from Massimino up to the col is rewarding — following the old mule track through chestnut forest, gaining height steadily, with the valley falling away behind you. At the top you cross from Liguria into Piedmont, and the landscape shifts noticeably: the southern slope opens up and dries out, while the northern Ligurian side stays dense and shaded. For walkers exploring the Tanaro valley, the Giovetti pass makes a natural half-day objective from the village.