Walk around the Maggia Delta from Ascona to Locarno

Sunday December 15, 2024 -- Today was a day for a simple and easy Sunday walk in the sunshine of, once again, the Italian part of Switzerland. 

Just a few days earlier, we did a hike in one of the side valleys between Bellinzona and Lugano (Isone Valley, photos HERE), but were reminded that mountain trails in the Ticino are difficult to walk in winter because the trails are buried in thick layers of fallen leaves, and you have to tread very carefully, so going is slow. So for this Sunday, where once again the weather is sunny and mild in the south (cold and foggy in the north), we did an 11-km level walk starting in the lovely Mediterranean-like lake-side town of Ascona, and walking around the Maggia Delta to the train station in Locarno.

In the past we have ended two hikes in Ascona, but never really had a look around the alleys of the town, and were surprised at how lovely the town is, although it does seem to cater to high-end people with expensive tastes. Sitting on a bench on the lakefront would even have been a good way to spend the afternoon, but we always want to walk. Because the straight stretches weren't too long, it wasn't too tedious, but I am still always surprised that a level walk is more tiring than several hours of hiking mountain trails. In all, we were outside enjoying the sunshine and mild temperatures for about four hours again. 

At the bus stop in Ascona (which we got to at 11:15 after a travel time of 2½ hours), we saw a lovely shop selling local specialties, so we had a look as to what might be an interesting purchase: Urs bought some small salamis (Salametti)

Across from the bus stop is the 14th-Century St.Mary's church and the 16th Century Papal College, so we went to have a look before heading to the lake. The problem was that there was a Sunday Mass in progress, which was a shame as there were some very nice frescoes I would have liked to look at. So we walked the alleyways for a while, and headed back later. 

Another church tower means we are headed that way!

The palm trees add that Mediterranean flair!

Around each bend in the alleyways was something unique to look at. 

Nice buildings and fancy shops. 

Between the houses towers the bell tower of the parish church of Saints Peter and Paul. 

A restaurant in an alleyway

Would be a cute place to have a lunch!

Another cozy alleyway

Interesting rooftops. 

Standing in front of the other church (parish church) called "Saints Peter and Paul"... and with our luck it is currently being renovated and not accessible to the public! Fortunately we had been able to see the interior back in October 2020 when we ended one of our hikes here in Ascona (photos are HERE)

Interesting sculptures on the front of this house. They were covered in nets, probably to prevent pigeons from sitting there and soiling them! When we were here in October 2020, we found out this house was built in 1620 and has a name: Casa Serodine. 

Down near the lakefront now, but before going there for our picnic lunch, we want to head back to St.Mary's in the hope that the mass is finished by now. 

Heading back to St.Mary's in the hopes that the church service is finished. 

Very nice carved wooden door. We quietly opened it to check inside, but the service was still in progress. 

Very quietly we slipped inside behind some large pillars, and I was able to take this one photo of the beautiful artwork. (Back in October 2020 we ended a hike here at the bus stop across from this church, and I took a photo of the choir/altar area, but the church was dark at the time. The photo can be found at THIS LINK on my blog). 

Passing by the other church tower again on the way to the lakeshore. 

At noon we were back down at the lakeside promenade, ready to enjoy the sun a bit. 

A perfect spot for our picnic lunch. It was warm and mild and I could have sat here for hours. 

The merganser ducks are so cute with their little "punk hairdos"

This is the lakeside promenade in Ascona. The large festive season decorations are pretty!

Heading off on our planned walk around the Maggia Delta. It is now about 12:30.

The Christmas season decorations are so unique and tasteful, and blend into the surroundings so well. 

We saw some similar paintings on other houses in the town, and discovered it relates to an art atelier around the corner, specifically art related to jazz themes. It looks pretty!

The promenade restaurants are packed on this lovely Sunday. When we were here last in October 2020, there were  masses of people walking along the promenade as well. 

Just a couple of hours from our home and we can enjoy this Mediterranean-style lakeside landscape!

This is a hotel, called Albergo Castello. 

Good place for a photo!

Final look back at the Castello Hotel as we now head out around the delta. 

The Maggia River enters Lago Maggiore at the aptly-named Maggia Delta. Ascona is located on the south side of the river and the delta, whereas Locarno is on the north side. It was a 2½ hour walk around the delta to the train station in Locarno, and about 11 kilometers in all. 

The first section was through a private residential area where the properties were walled in, so we didn't see the lake here. 

But then we reached the golf course, and the trail followed the fenced-in area there, but we at least got some views of the lakeshore. 

Lakeshore around the Maggia Delta on the Ascona side. 

On the other side of the fence are the park-like grounds of the golf course. 

Looking across the lake at the foot of Monte Gambarogno (which is all in shadow) to the Magadino Plain. From here the trail unfortunately no longer followed the shore-line, and we had to walk inland for a while. 

Across the rooftops we can see the summit of "Pizzo di Vogorno" which is the dominant mountain at the entrance of the Verzasca Valley. 

So many large groves of palm trees that do so well in this mild climate. 

And these unusual trees are the pine trees from where we get the very expensive pine nuts used to make pesto. In fact, as we passed under the trees, bits of pine cones fell around us as the birds were busy in the trees dismantling the pine cones in search of the nuts!

Another view of Pizzo di Vogorno in the Verzasca Valley to our northeast. 

Large flat farmland between the Maggia River and Ascona. Back in October 2017 we hiked from the Centovalli on the far side of those mountains, across the top and down toward Brissago on the very left side of this photo. (That album is HERE)

Unfortunately there is no bridge near where the river enters the lake, so we had to walk 850 meters upriver on the south side of the Maggia River to the nearest bridge, and then another 1.3 kilometers on the north side of the river back to the lakeside trail. 

Crossing the bridge over the Maggia river, about 1½ kilometers from where it enters the lake. 

Crossing the bridge over the Maggia River. 

Another look down the Maggia River where it soon enters Lago Maggiore. Our trail now continues on the left side of the river, back to the lake shore. Many of the villages at the foot of Monte Gambarogno across the lake are in shadow of the mountain for a few weeks at this time of year. 

After crossing the bridge, we head eastward again on the other side of the river. 

A mild and sunny day for this easy walk around the Maggia Delta between Ascona and Locarno. 

Along the Maggia River. 

Once we turned away from the river and heading north, we passed a campground (no access) and another golf course, and then we discovered there is a very nice park and lake access called "Parco delle Camelie" which translates to "Camellia Park", a lovely park with hundreds of Camellia bushes. There were still a few different coloured Camellias on the bushes, but it must be quite impressive in summer. 

The Camellia Park also has lake access. The wind has picked up now, and there were waves on the lake. 

The wind has picked up now. It's 14:45 now and no longer so pleasant, even in the sunshine, so we hurried on to make it to the station for the 15:15 train to Bellinzona.  

Many boats in the harbour around Locarno

Many boats in the harbour near Locarno

We passed by some very large trees! Too bad we didn't stop to stand next to them for this photo, to show the actual size of the trunks! (We would have had time, but Urs is always in a hurry when we have limited time to get to the train or bus stations, and he was walking way ahead of me here!)

From here you can take boat trips across the lake to the towns at the foot of Monte Gambarogno on the east side of the lake (which seem to be in the shadow of the mountain all day at this time of year). 

We got to the Locarno station at 3:08 p.m., in "plenty of time" for the 15:15 departure. I wish we would have stopped at the large tree trunks on the lakeside promenade, for a photo of me next to the huge trunks! In any case, we enjoyed four hours of sunshine, and were back home in two hours from here. 

The pale pink line is what our 11-km walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. We have done many hikes in this region (two of which ended in Ascona), and it is getting hard to find new places which we would find interesting to walk. This long and level walk was actually almost harder for us than the same distance on a mountain trail.

Location of Locarno on the northern part of Lake Maggiore. Most of the lake is actually in Italy.