A Section of the Sentiero Verzasca from Brione to Lavertezzo

Saturday May 24, 2025 -- This is only the second of our May hikes, as we had spent a couple of weeks in Canada. Since getting back, the weather hasn't been great for walking, and I had been struggling with jet-lag as well, but on this Saturday there was good weather in the Ticino, so we planned a trip there. 

We hadn't been in the very popular Verzasca Valley in a long time, and the last time (2019!!!) was in winter when the landscape is brown and daylight hours are short. So we figured it might be nice to see it once again in its green gloriousness with lots of sunshine, and before the masses of tourists (fuelled by influencer photos on the Internet) arrive.

We had planned a 10-km stretch along the river from Brione to Corippo, which should have been just over three hours of walking, pretty standard for us. But maybe because of the jet-lag, not a lot of walking in the previous weeks, and a recent surgical procedure, we barely managed seven kilometers. We had forgotten that there were not a lot of views of the river along this stretch, and I lost my favourite cap as well!

As beautiful as the scenery of the valley is, it wasn't a favourite hike of ours. The highlight of the hike was the sighting of three stunningly beautiful Western Emerald Lizards flitting through the grass, fairly well-camouflaged, but Urs has a good eye for these kinds of things!

After a two-hour trip to the Ticino, we caught a bus in Tenero (near Locarno) to head into the Verzasca Valley (a 35-minute bus ride to the start of our hike in Brione). The view is of Lago Maggiore.  

The bus climbs a winding road in the gorge and passes the fantastic Contra Dam, made popular by the James Bond movie "GoldenEye". 

A look behind us at Lake Vogorno, the reservoir lake created by the damming of the Verzasca River. 

On the far side of the lake is the mountain village of Corippo, which was going to be our goal of the day, but we didn't make it that far. We have been in that village a couple of times before, though. An interesting fact is that several of the houses there have been amalgamated into a type of hotel, where you can rent actual houses instead of rooms. 

Now the bus arrives in Lavertezzo, the main attraction in this valley, as this is the location of the popular double-arched bridge over the Verzasca River: "Ponte dei Salti". 

From the bus window, a glimpse of the "Ponte dei Salti", which translates to "Bridge of Jumps". This is where we ended our hike. (To Corippo it would have been another hour of walking, plus 20 minutes to the bus stop. Total planned 3¼ hours to walk, but we only managed two hours!)

As the bus continues up the valley, we pass the community of Brione. It was right after here that we got off the bus to start our walk, because there was a bridge over the river there. 

And here at the bus stop called Alnasca (i.e. the hamlet on the east side of the river is called Alnasca) is where we started on our walk. To Lavertezzo would be just over two hours. 

Starting in Alnasca north of Brione, we walked for 7½ kilometres along the river to Lavertezzo. We started at just after 11 a.m. (after leaving home at shortly after 8 a.m.) and caught the 15:17 bus back out of the valley. 

To start on our walk, we cross the Verzasca River to the eastern side, and head southwards from there. 

A view down-river from the bridge at Alnasca. We find the Verzasca Valley always stunningly beautiful, even though we have been here many times. 

Finally able to enjoy some flowering meadows

This is the hamlet called Alnasca. We did walk through here once before in April 2017, on a hike from far back in the valley in Sonogno, to just past Brione. (Those photos are HERE). 

As I was photographing this lovely scene, Urs spotted three Emerald Lizards flitting through the grass! 

It is always a treat (and the highlight of this walk) to catch sight of the gorgeous Western Emerald Lizards (Smaragdechse). These are one of four species of lizards found in Switzerland, and they can get up to 40 cms or larger! 

This beauty sat still and allowed me to photograph him! Their bodies were the same colour as the grass, and without Urs' sharp eyes, I might not even have seen them!

Continuing down the valley now and always enjoying all the stone houses in this part of the country. 

Continuing down the valley. (Side note: Back in 1989, when I was much younger, I did a hike up and around that large peak, descending from the saddle on the right, all in one day, which wasn't smart, as the descent took place by moonlight....at that time the hike looked much less long on a large flat map!)

And this view is behind us up the valley. 

Waterfall along the way. 

After about 15 minutes, we got to a point along the river right across from the village of Brione. 

And since it was now 11:50 and we were hungry, we stopped here by the river for our picnic lunch. 

This was the view from where we sat to eat our sandwiches! (I took a photo of Urs at this exact spot on our April 2017 walk --> Photo HERE).

Now we start on a short one-kilometer piece which we had not walked before, as back in 2017 it was here where we left the "Verzasca Trail" and headed up the mountain on the left. 

Cute houses on the other side of the river, along the main road. (We passed here earlier on the way up by bus). 

Looking behind us at the bridge to Brione. 

Always interesting sections along the trail. 

The Verzasca River has the most beautiful turquoise water. (The name "Verzasca" comes from "Green Waters"). 

Every few meters there were waterfalls and rapids over the many boulders in the river. 

Up ahead is the bridge at Gerra, where we are going to cross to the right side (west side) of the river. 

VIDEO:

The beautiful Verzasca River

A look up this beautiful valley again, as we cross the bridge to the west side. 

Along the main road, in the middle of nowhere, is a little refreshment stand where this lady is selling cold drinks, sausages, and gelato! So of course we had some gelato here. I tried the one with the fancy name: "Uva Americana Della Val Verzasca" (Which translates to "American Grapes of the Verzasca Valley"), which turned out to be pretty bland. 

Enjoying a gelato break. Here I had used the little portable toilet, and left my favourite visor cap on a hook inside the cabin! (So disappointed. Once I noticed it was missing, we didn't really want to go back). 

Other people showing up for gelato!!!

In this part of the country, there are many of these dry-stone walls, always a pleasure. 

This moth was about 5 cm long. Internet research comes up with the name "Pale Tussock" 

We are currently following the regional Trail no.74: "Sentiero Verzasca", a 35-km themed trail which starts at the back of the valley in Sonogno, and ends in Locarno. (To date we have walked the entire stretch in several sections). This time we started in Brione, and ended in Lavertezzo. 

This little hamlet is called Ganne

The mountains on the east side of the valley rise almost vertically 1500 meters above the level of the river. 

View southward. 

Across the river now we can see the little hamlet of Motta, which is where we ended two hikes in 2017, but also started a very interesting hike the most recent time we were in this valley in 2019, to some mountain villages which have no natural water source, so they built stone basins to catch rainwater. (Photos are HERE). 

Along the way, there were a couple of places where we could leave the trail and actually get out onto the river. 

VIDEO:

What the valley looks like from the rock where I am standing

Since we were here last, the communities in the valley have built a long series of wooden troughs along the trail, where one can "rent" a wooden ball, and let it run along the tracks. Great fun for the kids!

VIDEO:

Fun game of letting the little wooden balls race down the

specially-created ball runs, this one with water!

This is the actual colour of the water in the Verzasca River!

A large part of the trail between Gerra and Lavertezzo was through the forest. We also ran into many other people on this stretch, most of them foreigners. 

Crossing below the "Cascata da Sgiof", some fabulous waterfalls along the way. Back in 2017 we scrambled up through the forest next to these waterfalls to reach some natural pools which I had discovered back in 1988. (Photos HERE) 

Standing at the base of the waterfalls. 

More of the troughs that are part of the ball run!

Up ahead we can see the mountain village called Sambugaro, which is just above Lavertezzo. We passed through that village on the December 2019 hike. 

We got to the lovely bridge (Ponte dei Salti) at 14:40. We decided to end the hike here and catch the 15:17 bus back to Tenero. 

The water here is absolutely beautiful. 

There were not many people here, as it is not yet high season. These young fellows were jumping into the river, which lots of people do now. 

Looking behind us at the double-arched Roman bridge. It actually has very low walls, that you could easily fall off if you lose your balance. 

Heading toward the bus stop now, we found a park near the church where we waited about 20 minutes for the bus. 

And another look at the village of Corippo as the bus heads back out of the valley to the train station in Tenero. (We got home at about 5:45 p.m.)

These are all the sections of the "Sentiero Verzasca" which we have done over the years, from Sonogno to Locarno on Lago Maggiore. The blue trail is the one we did this day. 

Location of the Verzasca Valley in Switzerland.