Monte San Giorgio: UNESCO World Heritage Site

April 19, 2017 (Wednesday) -- Monte San Giorgio, a small wooded mountain in the very South of Switzerland on the border to Italy, is nicknamed "Fossil Mountain" because of the fossils dating back 230-245 million years that have been found here. The area is one of Switzerland's 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is considered to be "the single best known record of marine life in the Triassic period". (See also this link: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1090 )

The trails from the West side on Lake Lugano across the mountain to Mendrisio on the East side are stages of various national and local routes. We picked the easier version (Stage 19 Via Gottardo), around the South of the mountain instead of across the top, with the intention of covering the first 400 altitude meters with a cable car, but despite nice weather forecast, the cold North wind was so strong by the time we got there that the cable car was not safe to operate that day.

So we covered the distance on foot in record time (50 minutes instead of 1 hour 10 mins -- best way to keep warm) to Serpiano where we got a fantastic view to Morcote on the San Salvatore promontory, then walked eastward to Meride, where there is a small fossil museum which we did not visit, but we had a local meal of polenta and pot roast (Gorgonzola for me) in a "Grotto" just outside the village. 

Instead of finishing the trail in Mendrisio, we walked through several mountain villages (Tremona, Besazio, Arzo) to the Italian border and caught a bus back. Saved us all that downhill walking, as the tour ended up longer than planned anyway. Total 14 km in 5 hours, but the strenuous uphill counts for much more!

On our way to Monte San Giorgio, one of Switzerland's 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In Brusino we hope the cable car is running, but unfortunately, the wind is too strong today. (And COLD!)

 

We had to walk up instead, but made it in record time! (50 minutes instead of 1:10)

At the hotel in Serpiano, we had our first of only a couple of views: This is Morcote and the San Salvatore Peninsula on Lake Lugano.

Morcote on Lake Lugano

The sunshine and palm trees might fool one into thinking it was warm, but the wind was freezing!

That arched window is a painting

Meride on the South Side of Monte San Giorgio.

 

Climate is ideal to grow grapes for wine.

Meride on the South side of Monte San Giorgio

 
We had lunch in the "Antico Grotto Fossati" (their specialty is Polenta), it's like eating at home but more expensive. Even if you order three of the same thing, they bring it all in larger bowls and you serve yourself.

After lunch, another quick walk through Meride.

After lunch, another quick walk through Meride.

Finally, a warm place along the church wall.

On the East side of the mountain there is another arm of Lake Lugano, and Monte Generoso on the right.

  

Admiring more wall paintings of windows in Tremona. They were all over the place, all by the same artist.

Many of the houses along the entire route had these cool paintings on their walls, same artist, Tacio Marti.

One of two churches in Besazio

The other church in Besazio

Last town we visited, Arzo right at the border to Italy.

Our Hike on the Via Gottardo, Stage 19, took about 5 hours for 14 km.

This is what it looked like in the North, blossoms and leaves and snow almost to valley bottom (approx. 600m above sea level) on April 19th.

In November 2016 we were on Monte San Salvatore, also a cold wind, with a view of Monte San Giorgio (Center of Photo)