"Giro del Ponte Tibetano", or the Tibetan Suspension Bridge called Carasc

(This post published on December 11, 2023)

Wednesday March 23rd, 2016 – Another hike in the Ticino started with a cable car ride up to the pretty hamlet of Curzútt, a recently restored cluster of stone houses built in the typical dry-stone style of the Ticino area. People used to live in these villages perched on the side of the mountains because of river flooding and marshy valley bottoms, and to avoid the continuous battles to try to secure this important trade route. (Internet information about the village is HERE)

Not far along the trail lies the small Romanesque church of San Bernardo whose origins date back to the late 11th century. The interior is almost fully covered in 14th and 15th century frescoes. Not many people come through this way, so the church is fairly safe from vandals, which is a good thing, because it’s such a treasure.

Our goal was the 270m-long Tibetan-style suspension bridge, one of the longest in Switzerland. It hangs 130m above the Sementina River, but is not scary to walk across because the bridge is secured by additional cables to the cliff walls, so it doesn’t swing. It was definitely an imposing sight! Built in 2015, it is also a very recent addition to facilitate the crossing of the Sementina Valley along the "Wine Trail" (Viia delle Vigne). 

The rest of the total 9-km hike back to the valley bottom (part of a themed trail called "Giro del Ponte Tibetano", or "Loop hike around the Tibetan bridge) took another 2 hours, through chestnut forests, vineyards, and gardens filled with palm trees and the always pretty currently-in-bloom magnolia trees!

We started our excursion at 10:50 with a cable-car ride in the small Monte Carasso/Mornera cable car, a cable-way which operates all year round.

VIDEO:

Watching our cable-car approach. 

It's quite windy, but not windy enough to cancel the ride!

There are two intermediate stations before the summit station of Mornera. We were getting off at Curzútt which is the first intermediate station. You have to get off at the open-air platform, and walk down the steps!

Cable car from Monte Carasso in the valley bottom to Curzútt. You have to get out on the platform!

The village of Curzútt was recently restored. Urs is reading up on the work that was done here and the history of the hamlet. Hundreds of years ago, people preferred living on the mountain rather than next to the river below, to avoid flooding, malaria, and the constant battles for the region as an important trade route. Also, there were large chestnut farms here on the hillside.  

The village of Curzútt was recently restored to the tune of 6 million francs. The dry-stone construction is impressive, there is no mortar used! There is a restaurant up here now, and a hostel. 

The village of Curzútt was recently restored to the tune of 6 million francs. 

From this mountain village, you get a fantastic view over the Magadino Plain

Our main goal is to see the Tibetan bridge, (Ponte Tibetano Carasc), but we pass by the San Bernardo chapel first, which was a really lovely surprise!

We started out from Curzútt (Corte di Sotto) at 12:30, passing by the 11th-Century San Bernardo church, then crossing the Carasc suspension bridge, then a detour off the main trail to Monti della Costa, then a quick detour to San Defendente (another historical chapel), and back down through the vineyards of Sementina. We were back at the bus stop at 4:30 p.m. 

We can see the San Bernardo church up ahead. This church is about 1000 years old!

Close-up view of the San Bernardo Church. 

A well-laid trail to the popular landmark, an easy 10-minute walk from the cable-car station

We didn't know what to expect when we got here, whether the church would be open or not. We were so happy that there seemed to be a tour of the church going on right at the moment, so we also went in!

The first extensive frescoes are at the front of the church above the entrance. 

The interior walls are almost entirely covered in frescoes. The oldest are from the 13th Century, many from the 14th and 15th Centuries. 

Most of these paintings are from late 1500's to early 1600's. The painting of "The Last Supper" includes local food products!

Admiring the view down to the Magadino Plain, with the Ticino River. The side Valley to the west is called the Morobbia Valley. 

Even though the forests are still very brown at this time of year, it was a nice mild day for a hike here in this region

First glimpse of the Carasc bridge on the trail from San Bernardo. This bridge is fairly new, built in 2015!

From the chapel, it takes about 45 minutes to walk to the Tibetan bridge, through mostly chestnut forests.

View down to  Bellinzona and the Morobbia Valley

There I am, down there, on the 270-meter long Carasc suspension bridge, 130 meters above the Sementina River. 

Crossing the Carasc suspension bridge. Because it is secured by cables, it doesn't swing very much. The style of this bridge is like the ancient Tibetan bridges, wth just a barely one-meter wide walking platform. 

A great challenge to cross one of Switzerland's longest suspension bridges! (270 meters!)

View up the Sementina Valley from the Carasc Bridge. 

I have to say, this is also quite an interesting bridge, another type of suspension bridge!

After the bridge, we left the main themed trail (mostly a forest trail) to visit some houses higher on the hillside. These scattered houses are called Monti. 

On the way back down to Sementina in the valley bottom, we took a detour to a hamlet called San Defendente. Unfortunately, this San Defendente Oratorio, was locked. But it apparently contains votive pictures from the 15th and 16th Centuries.  

Hamlet of San Defendente

The first spring flowers in the forests here! 

As we descend into the vineyards of Sementina, we are greeted by these magnificent flowering magnolia trees. 

Walking through the vineyards of Sementina, with a view to the city of Sementina below, and Bellinzona (left) as well at Giubiasco (right) on the far side of the Ticino River. 

There are many vineyards here, part of a trail called "Via delle Vigne" (Vineyard Trail). 

View across the Magadino Basin to the town of Giubiasco, as we pass through some fortified walls, heading back down to the main street. 

We reach the main road on the South side of the Sementina River. Looking across the River is another building with historical value: Chiesa di SS.Trinità, one that's I'd like to visit some day.

Heading North along the main road to the bus stop, this view is into the Sementina Valley (very shady here for several months in winter), which we crossed on the Tibetan Bridge. The Church of San Bernardo is higher up on the hill above SS Trinità.

What our walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. This is officially part of a walking trail called "Giro del Ponte Tibetano", but using the cable car saves us about an hour of uphill walking. 

NOTE: There is a hiking website from which we also get some ideas. They have done this same tour in summer, and the photos, all from very similar angles to mine, are worth looking at HERE.