"Up and down" from the Ticino ski lifts with Pamela Pintus
Ticino offers numerous ski lifts to reach the most suggestive and panoramic places, also for dedicating oneself to some exciting recreational or sporting activities.
Being a hiking enthusiast and a nature lover, I wanted to dedicate this blog to driving my favorite cableways to help you choose the ones that best suit your tastes and family needs.
Monte Tamaro cableway
Let us start with that of Monte Tamaro, one of the most popular places in Ticino. This resort is conveniently located between Lugano, Bellinzona and Locarno, making it easy to reach. The cableway takes you to an altitude of 1530 m, where you will find the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli designed by Mario Botta. Also, various walking trails and a playground for children start from here.
There is no need to emphasize that you can enjoy a spectacular view from the highest point because this is nothing new in Ticino. By getting off at the intermediate station, you will have the opportunity to choose a series of activities. You can immerse yourself, for example, in the Adventure Park, where there are three routes of different length and difficulty. Or, if you are fearless, you could opt for a 400-meter flight over the Tyrolean. I tried it, and it was an exciting experience, to say the least, although I am not sure I would repeat it. There is also paragliding for a real adrenaline rush, and there are also more leisurely activities such as sledging, mountain biking, or hiking trails.
Monte Carasso – Mornera cableway
The next destination is the Monte Carasso-Mornera cableway, which I discovered because I was looking for the Tibetan Bridge. I recommend that you organize a trip here, as the route is exciting and allows you to find places of scenic and historical interest. The bridge that joins San Bernardo to the Via delle Vigne with Curzutt is 270 m long and about one meter wide. It is subject to strict security measures, so it is also suitable for families and enterprising young people. The cableway takes you to Mornera in a few minutes and has two intermediate stops, Curzutt at 600 m and Pientina at 1000 m.
Monte Lema cableway
Do you love model aircraft and don't mind paragliding? So, your destination is Monte Lema, a magnificent peak in the Italian part of Switzerland, from which you can admire Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano and other beautiful valleys and mountains that characterize this corner of Ticino. The cableway takes you right here in about 15 minutes, starting from Miglieglia. Upon your arrival, you will find a restaurant and a hostel, should you wish to stay for one or more nights. On Monte Lema, there is an astronomical observatory to admire the stars in tranquility and without disturbing lights. There are also routes of various difficulty levels.
Pizzo di Claro cableway
The Pizzo di Claro cableway is suitable for those who like to stay in nature, immersing themselves in one of Ticino’s most evocative places. I have organized excursions to this region several times, and each time it was a pleasant surprise. You can reach an altitude of 1300 meters on the Saurù Mountains just in a few minutes by the cableway. From there, you can follow numerous paths on foot start.
Many other activities can be practiced, including paragliding. I have been there both in winter and in summer, and you can easily reach this place from different locations, so you should not miss that destination. You can also take a rest and eat at Osteria Saurù where you can taste local dishes, but above all to enjoy its magnificent panoramic terrace.
San Carlo Robiei cableway
The departure station of this cableway is in San Carlo in Val Bavona. The city is about an hour distant from Locarno and is easy to reach. It is an excellent destination for organizing various excursions, especially those to the Robiei Dam and Lake Sfundau. This cableway has the distinction of being the longest in Ticino and leads to Robiei overcoming an altitude difference of about 1000 meters.
If you are interested in the mountain’s history and geological environment, you should not miss the Basodino glacier path; it is an excursion that I did some time ago, finding it very interesting. It would be best if you equip yourself adequately because, in some places, the climbs are pretty heavy. Still, your reward will be a beautiful natural spectacle that will lead you to discover the largest glacier in Ticino, admiring its most hidden sides.
Another attraction that this cableway can reach is the educational path along the Robiei Dam. In the 1960s, structures for electricity production were built, and today you can make exciting walks inside the dam tunnels.
There is no shortage of activities, and I decided to stay in this area for a couple of days; I also made a trip to Lake Sfundau, which can be reached from the cableway arrival station by a circular, and in some points, quite challenging route. There is a small artificial basin located at about 2300 meters, where you can take some suggestive pictures, also passing near other alpine lakes. If you are fit enough, I highly recommend you this beautiful trip.
Verdasio Rasa cableway
If you decide to use this cableway, you can completely forget about your car. From Locarno, you can get to Verdasio using the panoramic trains of the Vigezzina Centovalli line. By cableway, you reach the village of Rasa at almost 900 meters, whose peculiarity is that it is entirely devoid of access roads. This small agglomeration of stone houses is a real jewel set in the mountains; before embarking on one of the paths that start from here, do not miss a visit to the pretty parish church and stop at the restaurant where you can eat on a beautiful terrace overlooking the woods.
If you are well trained, I recommend taking the Rasa – Porto Ronco descent, of medium difficulty. It will allow you to walk along various mountain crest paths and reach Alpe di Naccio and Corona dei Pinci. Crossing panoramic points and following winding descents, you will arrive in Ronco, from which you can admire Lake Maggiore, the Brissago Islands, the surrounding mountains and finally Porto Ronco, directly on the lake shores.
With this brief guide to the lifts, I hope to fully suggest new routes and trips discover the Ticino area.
Have a good time!
By Pamy