Hiking above Monte Carasso near Bellinzona (Ticino)

Saturday December 26, 2020 -- Almost four years ago in March 2016 we discovered a fairly new suspension bridge (completed in May 2015) near Bellinzona, which connects both sunny hillsides of Monte Carasso and Sementina across the Sementina Ravine. At that time we used the cable car to save us an hour's climb, and at that time we also discovered the lovely restored mountain village of Curzùtt (now one of our favourite places) and stumbled across a monument of national importance on the route to the bridge, namely the almost 1000-year-old church of San Bernardo which is totally covered in 15th- to 17th-Century frescoes.

This time we again headed to Monte Carasso for our final (maybe) hike of 2020: Our fourth trip there, having tramped through the forests on both sides of the ravine, always in winter because this is where we can expect sun and no snow. Our intention this time was to avoid the cable car, climb up to San Bernardo, and further up to another mountain village currently being restored to the tune of about 400,000 SFr. On the way we wanted to visit two other nearby churches.... but as it turns out, all three churches, including San Bernardo, were closed.

We didn't go to the suspension bridge this time, but rather looped back down via Curzùtt. Aside of a very cold and biting North wind, we had lots of sunshine and a good work-out on the steep ascent and descent, always a treat at this time of year.

Since I was not able to photograph the frescoes inside San Bernardo for this album, here is a link to the photos of the hike we did in March 2016, which also include photos of the majestic Carasc suspension bridge:  CLICK HERE.

(And on another occasion, in March 2019, when we took the cable car all the way to the top, to Mornera, and walked back and forth across the hillside with nice views over Bellinzona, at that time we passed OVER the village of Curzùtt:  CLICK HERE)

Just ten minutes off the main road (bus stop) and into the Sementina Valley stands this old church: Madonna della Valle. Unfortunately locked at this time of year. But it's a detour I've wanted to do for a long time. For most of the day in winter, though, this valley is in shadow.

Heading back out of the Sementina Valley along the river back to the main road, the second church: Oratorio di SS Trinità stands guard at the valley entrance

As we cross the Sementina River, we get a nice look to the back of the Sementina Valley, and the Oratorio which is actually quite easy to reach. Above it and out of sight, 360m higher up, is the San Bernardo chapel

Heading up to Oratorio SS Trinità and from there steep uphill through the forest to San Bernardo

We started at the bus stop in Sementina and headed into the valley 10 minutes to have a look at Madonna della Valle, then crossed the river and headed uphill to San Bernardo, then the little ruined village currently being rebuilt, and descended again via Curzùtt (Corte di Sotto). A decent hike of about three hours.

Here I am looking disappointed that this church -- Oratorio di SS Trinità -- (a historical monument) is also not open for viewing!

If a church or chapel is locked, I try where possible to take a photo through a window!!! This church is obviously used for Sunday services for the community of Monte Carasso below.

Heading to the valley side of the church for a view

View of the snow-covered peaks of Monte Tamaro and Monte Gambarogno to the South, across the Magadino Plain.

Heading further up the hill. A large portion of our climb was along stone steps such as these, which means you gain height quickly!

Hiking uphill on well-laid stone paths is something I enjoy! This region of Ticino gets lots of sunshine in winter, so great for us to hike when there is no snow.

On the way up we took an unofficial trail to a small hamlet called Tizott, not realizing that we'd pass through again on our way down!

I am always impressed by the beautiful stone-paved roads they have created in these mountain hamlets

Coming along the "unofficial" trail we get a nice view of San Bernardo from slightly below.

Chapel of San Bernardo, origins date to late 11th Century, the inside is completely painted with 15th- to 17th-Century frescoes

The website for the chapel claims it is open from Wednesdays to Sundays, but they forgot to update which months this refers to! Obviously not December, as the chapel was closed. This is the fresco above the main door, which unfortunately has been somewhat marred by 19th-Century graffiti (signatures dated 1753!). The date on the Chapel Lintel is 1582

It was too cold and windy to stop here for lunch, so we decided to continue our climb to the "collapsed" village, currently being restored.

Zoomed view of the collapsed village of Puncète, the highest point of today's hike (680m)

A view over the towns of Bellinzona and Giubiasco and in the Leventina Valley, as well as Val Morobbia

Restoration work in progress. The website for the city of Bellinzona listed this as a special destination for hikes in the area, but technically the building site is off limits (which you discover only once you get here). Lucky for us there was no construction going on (Christmas holidays) so we were able to pass through.

We found a nook protected from the wind to have our picnic lunch here, at the base of the large ruins.

Urs, who is more cautious than I am, was not happy about me climbing this wall for a photo. He was sure it would come tumbling down.

A most lovely path of stones heading down to the renovated village of Curzùtt.

Incredible the amount of work that went into creating these stone-paved trails on these steep, forested hillsides (in earlier times these were chestnut orchards).

A look down on the roofs of Curzùtt

The Monte Carasso - Mornera cable car makes three stops on its way up the mountain. This one at Curzutt is about 1/3rd of the way up.

A quick walk through the handful of houses, then watching the cable car descend from the top of the mountain, before we descend from here

VIDEO:

Monte Carasso Cable Car

A final look at the pretty village of Curzùtt (restorations cost about 6 million Francs!)

What a lovely path from the village to the cable car "station"

Heading back down the mountain, we pass through the tiny hamlet of Tizott for the second time.

Heading down from the hamlet of Tizott. On the way up we came from the left side.

The trail down was steep over stones set up as steps

A look over Bellinzona with its three castles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Zoomed view of Castel Grande, right in the center of Bellinzona

My favourite: Castello di Montebello

The yellow trail is the one we did this day, and the red trail is the hike we did in 2016, where we started at the cable car station in Curzütt and walked over the suspension bridge.

On the way home from the South, this is what it looks like North of the Alps (Lake Lauerzersee)

A close-up shot of the large moon, above Mount Zugerberg, taken from the train window!

A Sunny Winter Day on Lago di Lugano: Morcote to Bissone

Sunday December 13, 2020 -- After three weeks of fog locally and lots of snow in the mountains, we had an opportunity to head South again (far South!) where the weather was sunny and mild with no clouds, and mainly no snow. At this time of year it is tricky to find places to hike where you don't run into so much snow that you have to turn back. (Of course there are options to walk along lakesides and rivers where the paths are cleared, but those are mostly too monotonous for us. Or there are prepared winter trails, of which we do about 2-3 per season).

We planned our hike properly this time, starting on the very South of Monte San Salvatore (its tail, if you wish) at the lakeside town of Morcote which receives lovely morning sunshine, and ending at Bissone on the eastern side of Lago Maggiore, which receives the late afternoon sunshine. On this 10+ km hike our main goal was the village of Vico Morcote high on the hillside, a 90-minute mountain hike along the hillside, and a visit to the 12th Century parish church of San Carpoforo in Bissone, whose architecture and age is a stark contrast to the more "modern" tiny town sandwiched between the lakeshore and the freeway to Italy.

We didn't spend time in Morcote, having visited this town before. The hike to the quaint village of Vico Morcote was pleasant, but after that we ran into a problem: The 90-minute forest trail was apparently damaged in the past couple of months due to storms, with freshly uprooted trees and fallen bushes. But this is not the first time we have had to crawl under and over obstacles! Fortunately, it was never so bad that we had to turn back.

Passing through Melide (home of Swiss Miniatur) and a sunny (but boring) lakeshore walk parallel to the railway and highway isthmus across the lake, Bissone was also a bit of a disappointment, as the old church was being renovated. An unexpectedly stunning ceiling covered in artwork was shrouded by gauze fabric, particularly disappointing for me as I love to look at ceiling art.

We returned to Melide for the 15:49 train, just as the sun was setting. We are fortunate to be able to take a "quick trip" to better weather, especially as the new Ceneri Tunnel between Bellinzona and Lugano (opened just the day before) now shortens our trip by another 15 minutes. We can be in Lugano now in less than two hours!

Right above the town of Morcote is the dominant structure: "Chiesa di Santa Maria del Sasso", a Renaissance Church which includes a convent and was given Basilica status in 1942. We didn't go up there this time, because we've visited it before, in 2014. 

Instead of going through the alleyways of Morcote, we headed to the end of the town along the lakefront.

We always enjoy walking through these kinds of arched alleyways.

In the summertime, these shops and restaurants are very busy

The reason we rarely visit these kinds of restaurants, as pretty and unique as they might be, is that smoking is still permitted on outside terraces here in Switzerland. Even the waiter setting the tables has a cigarette dangling from his lips, even though he is wearing gloves! (The lone customer is currently also smoking... so much for a mask mandate).

From here we first head up to the quaint mountain town of Vico Morcote, then on to Melide (a 90-minute walk on the mountain trail through the forest). 

As it turns out, the trail through the forest after Vico Morcote was actually "closed" due to storm damage, but not yet marked on the map. For us, not difficult to navigate. From Melide it was 20 minutes to Bissone and 20 minutes back.

Heading up the hill to Vico Morcote

Vico Morcote with its lovely arcaded alleyways. You can feel how old this town is.

Looking down onto a piazza at a lower elevation.

VIDEO:
Walking through the alleyways of Vico Morcote

My mail goal of course: "Chiesa dei Santi Fedele e Simone" in Vico Morcote, a small detour below the main town. What a beautiful location!

First phase of construction = 1591-1625, with an attractive Baroque Interior

The Baroque church of San Fedele e Simone has substantial historical value

Heading up the stairs behind the church to meet up with Urs (who does not quite share my passion) to continue on our 90-minute mountain trail.

At this point the trail still looks very promising!

The trail passed above a couple of exclusive properties (villas with swimming pool).... what a great location!

It didn't take long to encounter the first of many downed trees and bushes, which we either had to crawl under or over!

Most of the trail was a sun-dappled forest trail which we often walk in winter in this part of the country.

We had to bend very low to pass under this one!

VIDEO:

Crawling over and under the fallen trees and bushes

When we arrived above the town of Melide, we could see across the lake to where we are ultimately headed: Bissone (There is a narrow passage across the lake here which accommodates the freeway, the railway, and a lakeside walking path)

Also visible from here, the Italian enclave called Campione (hotels and a large and ugly casino building), totally surrounded by Swiss territory.

Melide has little charm, except for a couple of such narrow passages

Creative "Christmas Trees": An olive tree on the left, and a Ticino Palm Tree on the right.

Crossing the "isthmus" over Lago di Lugano. To the South is Monte San Giorgio, which is one of Switzerland's 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Approaching Bissone, basking in the afternoon sunshine. This town is a strip of attached houses about 2-3 deep, sandwiched between the lake and the freeway / railway line. It's the church on the right which I mainly came to visit.

This is the first building we encountered after crossing the lake: "Oratorio san Rocco", also a Baroque edifice.

A lovely sunny spot on the lakeshore to enjoy a coffee break

Across the lake is the tail end of Monte San Salvatore, which we walked across about 1/3rd of the way up.

More arched arcades in Bissone

This house claims to be the birthplace of Francesco Boromini, born 1599, a famous architect who spent most of his life in Italy (very common at the time). He is portrayed on the our 100 SFr. note.

Some very pretty artwork and architecture in Bissone

We stumbled upon this "Grand Tour" frame, always a fun find and another photo to add to my collection! (This one showcases Monte San Giorgio, one of Switzerland's 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites)

I was a bit disappointed to find that the church I really wanted to see (San Carpoforo) was undergoing some restoration. The church was first documented in 1148, but its origins are from the 8th Century!!

The altar at San Carpofaro

The fantastic ceiling was shrouded with protective gauze sheets...

Interior of the San Carpoforo church with marble pillars and interesting artwork

Before heading back to the train station in Melide, we walked up and down the narrow alleyways of Bissone.

Some of these apartments get no sunshine in winter nor in summer!

Some very pretty afternoon lighting

Heading back to Melide along the highway

We had a few minutes to scoot under the highway bridge at the Melide train station, to look across Lake Lugano to the North: On the left is Monte San Salvatore, straight ahead is Monte Bré, and on the right the Italian enclave of Campione

Our three-hour hike is in yellow, starting in Morcote. We advised the "keeper of the trails" about the damage, and two days later this trail was marked as "inaccessible" on the official Swiss hiking trail map...

ADDENDUM:

This photo from the website https://parrocchia-bissone.ch/chiesa/ shows what the ceiling looks like when it is not veiled by the protective fabric. I look forward to visiting one day again when the restoration is finished: