Verzasca Valley & Centovalli★★★
The Verzasca Valley and the Centovalli showcase the wild, untamed Ticino — far from the glamorous lake promenades.
★★★ Verzasca Valley
A narrow, wild romantic valley with the clearest water in Switzerland: The Verzasca flows in emerald and turquoise pools over smoothly polished rocks — like from another world. The Ponte dei Salti (Roman bridge) in Lavertezzo is THE photo motif of Ticino: The double-arched stone bridge over the crystal-clear water, surrounded by granite rocks, where sunbathers gather.
At the entrance of the valley: the Contra Dam — known as Verzasca Dam, where James Bond made the legendary bungee jump in "GoldenEye" (1995). You can take the leap yourself: 195 CHF, 220 meters of free fall!
Lavertezzo: Bus from Locarno (40 min., free with Swiss Travel Pass). Bungee Jump: 195 CHF, March–October (trekking.ch). Swimming in the Verzasca: only for good swimmers — the water is ice-cold (12–16 °C) and the current is treacherous!
★★ Centovalli — Train of the 100 Valleys
The Centovalli Railway from Locarno to Domodossola (Italy) is one of the most beautiful narrow-gauge railways in Europe: In 2 hours through 100 side valleys (hence the name), over daring bridges, through chestnut forests, and past steep vineyards. The route is included in the Swiss Travel Pass and an absolute insider tip!
Centovalli Railway Locarno → Domodossola: 36 CHF (2nd class), free with Swiss Travel Pass. 2 hrs. Several times daily. Get off at Intragna (highest church tower in Ticino, 65 m) or Rasa (mountain village accessible only on foot or by cable car).
★ Maggia Valley
Even wilder than the Verzasca Valley: The Maggia Valley leads deep into the Ticino Alps — villages made of granite stone, ancient churches, and swimming spots on the Maggia (warmer than the Verzasca!). At the end of the valley: the remote Bavona Valley with its stone houses and no electricity — a guaranteed time travel.
Achtung
The Verzasca and other Ticinese rivers are dreamlike for swimming but treacherous: The glacier water is ice-cold (12–16 °C), the current under the surface is strong, and the smooth rocks are slippery. Every year there are drowning victims. Never swim alone, never enter the water during high water, and heed the warning flags at the Verzasca Dam!
