An alleyway just 43 centimetres wide in the hilltop town of Ripatransone, central Italy, has become a tourist attraction, despite not being the world's narrowest. The slender passage, located at Via Francesco Lunerti, 14, narrows to 38 centimetres at its tightest point before widening like a funnel.
The alleyway originally served as a service passage between two medieval houses. Over time, building expansions reduced the gap, turning it into a notable curiosity. It received official certification from the local Tourism Office and is marked with a sign near Piazza XX Settembre and Via Margherita.
Ripatransone itself offers more than just the narrow alley. The village, situated between the Menocchia torrent and Tesino river, boasts panoramic views and a rich historical heritage. Its medieval historic centre features 19th-century buildings and noble palaces, along with a network of narrow streets and small squares.
While the alley is Italy's narrowest, taking the title in 1968 from Via Baciadonne in Citta della Pieve (53 centimetres), it does not hold the world record. That honour belongs to an alleyway in Gassin, France, which is 29 centimetres at its narrowest, and Spreuerhofstraße in Germany, registered as the world's narrowest street at 31 centimetres.
