Ascona-Locarno Tourism has put together a selection of excursion tips around Lago Maggiore for this year’s SUMMERTIMES magazine issue: whether you want to enjoy the tranquillity and unspoilt nature in hidden valleys, discover new horizons while hiking in the mountains, cool off by the lake or watch the hustle and bustle in small villages and towns, Ticino has something for everyone.
Discover the Brissago Islands
For those who want to immerse themselves in another reality, in a small subtropical world, it’s time to visit the Brissago Islands. It is the only botanical garden in Switzerland that is located on an island in Lago Maggiore. They can be reached by boat in just 55 minutes from Locarno and 15 minutes from Ascona. Once there, there are five zones to explore, showing five continents in their natural habitat. With its 2500 m2, over 2000 plant species, an enchanted forest with mystical mist, a viewpoint, a restaurant with a beautiful terrace and much more, the Botanical Ridge offers everything you need for an unforgettable excursion.
The old caves of Cevio
What better way to get to know a new region than through the local cuisine. Just 25 kilometres from Locarno, in the piazza of Cevio, you will find the Val Magìa village shop, which sells products from the region, from the valley floor to the alpine pastures where the excellent cheeses are produced. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the local delicacies, you can order a picnic or a basket filled with local produce. Equipped with tasty provisions, all that remains is to continue the discovery tour on the «Cevio and the Caves» stone path. In this way, around sixty old cellars can be discovered in their original state. Finally, all that remains is to find a stone table and savour the flavours of the valley.
Journey into the past: Bavona Valley
A valley formed by glaciers with hundreds of metres of vertically rising, bare and menacing-looking rock faces. A place where man has managed to settle and build small villages. Here lie the 12 «Terre», twelve settlements that are inhabited in summer, and a hamlet that has been abandoned for centuries due to the danger of a landslide. It looks like a story from a fairy tale, a compact ensemble of small barns and houses that fit in with the morphology of the area. A place that invites you to explore and rediscover a forgotten balance between man and nature. A perfect blend of houses nestled between high, vertical rock faces and secrets hidden beneath the boulders of the valley.
The hidden corners of the Verzasca Valley
The Verzasca Valley is much more than the Ponte dei Salti or Lavertezzo. Its famous crystal-clear water and the dam made famous by James Bond have undoubtedly helped to make it famous. But the possibilities in this valley range from hiking to cycling in the midst of nature. Away from the hustle and bustle, you can discover places of equal beauty, such as the Val dʼOsola, Sonogno, the Froda waterfall and Alpe Bardughé. For a comprehensive experience, it’s best to leave the car behind and get around on foot and by public transport. A tip for a day trip is to take the bus from Locarno or Tenero railway station to Brione Verzasca. A leisurely hike into the beautiful Val dʼOsola starts from here.
Gambarogno: the sunny side of the lake
Nature is at its best on the left bank of Lago Maggiore. A beautiful, sun-drenched lake, where an enchanting hilly landscape and its mountains form the backdrop for villages with colourful houses, cobbled streets and a road that runs along the lake to the Italian border. Here the lake meets the mountains with over 200 kilometres of hiking trails through chestnut forests, lush pastures and enchanting Alps that end at the region’s beaches. There is also plenty to see culturally here, such as the Botanical Gardens and the Bolle di Magadino nature reserve. Rare plant species can be discovered in the botanical garden, while the Bolle di Magadino nature reserve is home to the typical vegetation and fauna of the transition zones between water and land.
