Airolo
Top tip
- Caseificio del Gottardo show dairy
- Museo Nazionale del San Gottardo
- Sasso San Gottardo (fortress museum)
- Tremola Trophy with Monster Trotti scooters
Other sights
- Forte Airolo was built in the 1880s to protect the railway and the road links through the Gotthard Pass and in the Bedretto Valley: Forte Airolo (military museum), 6780 Airolo, Tel. +41 (0)91 873 71 11
- Strada alta is one of the most well-known hiking routes in Ticino. Following the left-hand fork of the high-level hiking trail, it mainly incorporates the old bridle path from Airolo to Biasca and can be easily broken down into different stages.
Hikes and mountain tours
- Strada degli Alpi in the Bedretto Valley
- Sentiero alto del Tremorgio
Piotta / Ritom
Top tip
- Ritom funicular railway: Set on an incline of 87.8%, the Ritom funicular railway is the steepest of its kind in Europe. Tel. +41 (0)91 868 31 51.
- Piora Valley: Piora Valley is a mountain valley measuring approximately 8 kilometres in length and is between 1,800 and 2,000 metres above sea level. Around twenty large and small mountain lakes are dotted around the alpine landscape, the largest of which are Ritom (a reservoir), Lago di Tom and Lago Cadagno – the latter is also located close to the Centro di Biologia Alpina, an alpine laboratory. The lush alpine meadows are home to unique plant species along with a range of other interesting regional flora and fauna. From mid-June to the start of August, the valley looks like a huge alpine flower garden suffused with wonderful scents and hues.
Hikes and mountain tours
- From the top of the Gotthard Pass to Lake Ritom
- From Lake Ritom to the Lukmanier Pass
- Tour of Lake Ritom – Lago di Tom – Lago Cadagno
- Lake Ritom – Cadlimohütte (mountain cabin)
Rodi-Fiesso
Top tip
- The Dazio Grande is a huge old building which dates back to the 16th century and sits at the entrance to the Piottino gorge. It served as a customs house, warehouse, coach house and inn. Today, the building is home to a restaurant and hotel, and has seminar and meeting rooms available for hire. There is also a small exhibition inside.
Dazio Grande, 6772 Rodi-Fiesso, Tel. +41 (0)91 874 60 66.
Hikes and mountain tours
- Hiking tour through the Piottino gorge and along the former bridle path on the right-hand slope (Dazio Grande – Dazio Vecchio – Piottino gorge – Dazio Grande), duration of hike: approx. two hours
- Monte Piottino nature trail: Measuring 6 kilometres in length, this hiking trail (approx. four hours) starts in Bedrina (Dalpe), crosses Prato (Leventina), cuts through the forest above the Piottino gorge and ends close to the Dazio Grande customs house. There are 16 information boards along the route, full of interesting facts about the local history, geography and surroundings.
Faido
Top tip
- Piumogna waterfall
Other sights
- St. Andreas parish church from the 12th century. It was consecrated by Saint Charles Borromeo in the 16th century.
Hikes and mountain tours
- Strada alta
- Campo Tencia
- Pizzo Molare
- Pizzo Pettine
- Lago di Carì
- Pianaselva
Giornico
Top tip
- Casa Stanga was painted with the family crests of famous guests in 1589. Today, it houses the Museo di Leventina, an ethnographic museum. Tel. +41 (0)91 864 25 22.
- Reliefs and sculptures by Swiss sculptor Hans Josephsohn are available to view in the Congiunta, a modern building constructed in 1992. Tel. +41 (0)91 864 22 15.
- San Nicola is a Romanesque church with a long history, receiving its first mention in a Chironico parish church parchment dated 1202.
Other sights
- Chiesa Santa Maria del Castello
- Zona dei grotti
Hikes and mountain tours
- Giornico–Chironico
- Giornico–Catto–Faidal–Personico–Bodio
- Giornico–Sobrio–Cavagnago–Giornico
Pollegio
Hikes and mountain tours
- Pollegio – Personico hike through the d’Ambra Valley
Biasca
Top tip
- Grotto Del Mulo, via ai grotti 38, 6710 Biasca, Tel. +41 (0)91 880 03 04
- Grotto Lino, via ai grotti, 6710 Biasca, Tel. +41 (0)91 862 45 47
- Grotto Pini, via ai grotti 34, 6710 Biasca, Tel. +41 (0)91 862 12 21
Other sights
- Church SS. Pietro e Paolo, one of Ticino’s most outstanding examples of Romanesque architecture
- Crossroads with 14 chapels in a beautiful chestnut forest that leads to the impressive Santa Petronilla waterfalls.
- Forte Mondascia (museum of infantry weapons)
- Casa Cavalier Pellanda, stately home dating back to 1586, an example of Lombard Renaissance architecture
Hikes and mountain tours
- Biasca – Cava mountain cabin; it is recommended to complete the hike through the Pontirone Valley and Valle Santa Petronilla over two days, and stay overnight at Capanna Cava (lodge) on Alpe di Cava.
- Sentiero Riviera, Biasca – Bellinzona; this route runs along the Ticino river. Duration: approx. 6 hours