Hike in Val Mara to the Summit of Monte Sant'Agata

Saturday March 25, 2023 -- Another case of not-so-nice weather in the north and lovely in the South!

We went on a mountain hike this time again, on Monte Sant'Agata in the Mara Valley on the west flank of Monte Generoso and near the south end of Lake Lugano, just opposite where we were two weeks earlier (Monte San Giorgio, those photos are HERE). It is amazing how the landscape has suddenly become all green there, the trees having popped their little light green leaves at lower altitudes! Unfortunately, we missed the fabulous magnolia bloom which had just started when we were here last, and is already finished.

Val Mara is a valley we had only accessed once before, and that was a bus ride to the uppermost village of Arogno, from where we walked AWAY from the valley (those photos are HERE). This time we started in Rovio about halfway up the valley, climbed the 400 meters up Monte Sant'Agata for a view of the lake to the West (and all the way to the Monte Rosa Massif once again) and of the impressive Mario Botta construction called "Fiore di Pietra" (the Stone Flower) at the summit of Monte Generoso, and from there we returned to Rovio, mostly impressed in that village with the 19th-Century fountains they created out of old 5th-Century Roman stone sarcophagi!

The hike up this mountain wasn't long enough for us, so we walked back down to lake level via a lovely waterfall called Cascata del Botto, ending in Melano where we started. We had just enough time to walk to the end of the road to two large church buildings there, and just enough time to NOT find the way in, before we had to return to the bus....

Waiting for the bus down at lake level in Melano, you can actually see Mario Botta's "Stone Flower" from this vantage point.

On the bus ride up into Val Mara, we got several views of the south end of Lake Lugano (this is the eastern arm, separated from the western one by Monte San Giorgio on the right)

Passing the parish church in Rovio. We returned here after descending from Monte Sant'Agata

At the start of our hike at the bus stop further up the road is another church called Sant'Assunta, which unfortunately was locked (photo taken through an iron-grill window). Apparently, it has quite a beautful ceiling.

The quickest way up to the summit of Monte Sant'Agata is 1 hr. 20. We had ten minutes more, because we took a more indirect route

First we hiked to the summit of Monte Sant'Agata, then we had a look around Rovio, and descended to Melano via the Sovaglia Waterfalls

The path we chose was a wilder trail, not really cleared for hiking as it is an unofficial trail up the mountain.

We chose to ascend on the unofficial trail so we could reach this clearing with a view over the south end of Lake Lugano

We would not have had this view if we had taken the official trail around the north side of the mountain. In the background is Monte San Giorgio, where we were two weeks earlier

Walking along the forest trail... some of the trees are just getting their leaves!

At Alpe Bogo we rejoin the official trail to ascend Monte Sant'Agata from "the back" (east side). From here it's another 30 minutes uphill.

All along the way the little lizards were scurrying out of our path. They too enjoy the new warmth of spring!

At the summit of Monte Sant'Agata is the Oratorio of Sant'Agata. It was locked, but looking through the window, it wasn't special inside. This building is from the early 12th Century

Our view of the Mara Valley from the summit of Monte Sant'Agata. The mountain in the middle is Monte San Salvatore with the Lake in between and on the right is the city of Lugano. Way at the back on the left are the mountains of Canton Valais

The view across Lage di Lugano past the long ridge of Monte San Salvatore, and all the way to the snow-covered Monte Rosa Massif way in the back.

This is the spot where we had our picnic lunch. It was nice that there were no other people up here.

On the path back down from the summit we could see the summit of Monte Generoso to the East, and the Mario Botta building called "Fiore di Pietra" ("The Stone Flower").

A closer look at "The Stone Flower"

And a very close-up view of the "Fiore di Pietra", one of Mario Botta's creations. Mario Botta is one of Switzerland's best-known architects. We saw this building up-close in May 2019, those photos are HERE

A carpet of blue flowers

Heading back down the other side of the mountain

A really nice "Mule Path" this time

Around the base of the mountain before we got to the village of Rovio, we got a good look at Monte San Giorgio

Village of Rovio

Close-up of Rovio

Another look behind us at the summit of Monte Generoso

Another look at the south end of Lago di Lugano (the town there is called Capolago, which meand "Head of the Lake")

Always happy to find fresh cold water from a village fountain. (Turns out this is made from a 5th-Century Roman stone sarcophagus)

Walking through the streets of Rovio

This looks like it could be the town hall

One of several stone fountains in the village of Rovio. They were all marked with a placard which read "Avello IV-V secolo d.C.?" which means they are not sure, but this could be a Roman stone sarcophagus from the 4th or 5th Century, transformed into a fountain in the 19th Century.

The Rovio Parish Church of "Santi Vitale ed Agata", 17th to 18th Century

Details on the 17th-18th Century parish church. The new front section is obviously much younger, added in 1996

Very neat cobblestone roads through the village.

All the various stone fountains created from 5th-Century Roman sarcophagi

Monte Generoso in the background

A lovely blossoming Magnolia tree. Further down at lake level, these are already finished.

Some early blossoming fruit trees

Heading down the forest trail to the waterfall (Cascata del Botto). This was not even 15 minutes from the village

Taking a break at the waterfall

VIDEO:

Waterfall along the Sovaglia River: Cascata del Botto

Standing on the big rock at the waterfall

Heading through the forest down the hill to lake level.

Still a few Magnolia blooms on this tree

All the village and farm cats really like Urs

Town square in Melano. We purchased a cold drink at a local butcher's shop and sat here for a while to drink it.

Not sure what this is, but it was the entrance to a courtyard and what obviously once was a beautiful villa, now in disrepair

At the south end of the town of Melano were two churches. We didn't have time to check out both of them. The first one, called the Dom, had a locked main door, and we didn't try the others.