Sentiero Verzasca from Mergoscia to Brione via Monti di Lego

Sunday October 26, 2025 -- After a nice week or two of "Indian Summer", the weather has turned, and it is now raining with several days of very strong winds wreaking havoc in most parts of the country.

As is often the case, the weather in Canton Ticino south of the Alps is better when we have storms in the north, so we, (as well as many, many other people) headed down there this Sunday. With the time change to winter time (I wish that would be done away with), the afternoons are shorter and you have to start earlier in the day to make most of daylight. Planning hikes with access to side valleys becomes difficult, as you also have to approximate when and where you will end up walking in the shadow of the steep mountains. Besides, we have walked most of the interesting trails in the whole Locarno and Lugano regions, and it becomes difficult to find new trails of interest.

On this day then, we actually returned to a place we have been to twice before: Monti di Lego overlooking Lago Maggiore near Locarno. It is a place Urs really loved the first time we walked there in January 2017, when we started higher up with the Cardada Cable car, and walked to Mergoscia in the Verzasca Valley (mostly all downhill). The second time in June 2018 we started in Mergoscia heading uphill, and descended from Monti di Lego to Contra, also in the Verzasca Valley (that day was a hot humid day and the visibility from the chapel at Monti di Lego was not particularly good). This time we again started in Mergoscia, but explored the lower part of the mountain village which we had not walked through in the three other times we were there. Also, we took a different trail back down on the sunny side of the mountain, after a short time spent up at the Monti di Lego Chapel (with a better view this time).

It wasn't my favourite hike, because I had the wrong hiking shoes on and got sore feet quickly. In the sun it was too hot, although the uphill section in the shadow of the mountain was bearable. And we rushed through the end of the hike because we really wanted to get the 15:31 connection back home, so that was kind of stressful....

(Side note: The reason for taking the earlier connection home is that there were supposed to be fewer people in that train, but Bellinzona was overflowing with people returning from holidays... luckily Urs found out that an overflow train was to follow seven minutes later, and there were only a dozen or so people who stayed back for that one, and we had the whole wagon to ourselves). 

The bus to Mergoscia runs only every two hours, and we wanted to make sure we didn't miss the connection, so we actually left home 30 minutes earlier than necessary, and spent that half hour here at the lakeshore in Locarno. (That lady is holding her cell phone up and taking a video as she walks). 

View across the lake, which is called Lago Maggiore. 

Here we sat for a while. Lots of other people (many tourists) are enjoying the morning sunshine. 

Heading up the mountain now on the 9:51 bus to Mergoscia. The palm trees make it look like a spot on the Mediterranean. 

The bus passes through the mountain village of Brione (Sopra Munisio) where we will end our hike. This is a view of the large Maggia Delta at Locarno. 

Down below is Lake Vogorno in the Verzasca Valley, which is actually a reservoir lake created by the Contra Dam backing up the Verzasca River. 

The last stop of the bus is at the large church in Mergoscia after about a 30-minute ride. Many of the people from the bus all came to these benches here, to put on sunscreen or change into hiking clothes. 

View of Lake Vogorno from the village of Mergoscia. Down below is a part of the village we had never yet walked through, so this is the plan for this day. 

Close-up look at the roofs of the lower part of the village where we want to walk down to, including a little church, which ended up being locked. 

The church here is called "Chiesa dei Santi Carpoforo e Gottardo". The original church, first mentioned at the beginning of the 14th century, was expanded in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Details of the church

Standing at the front of the church and looking up at the mountain where we are going to walk to (where the arrow is). 

A very nice and sunny terrace in front of the church with several benches with views. 

Before heading off on our hike, we had a look at the tourist information that was hanging near the bus stop. This photo on a placard shows the village of Mergoscia as viewed from high up the mountain on the east side of Lake Vogorno in the Verzasca Valley. 

On this map are displayed various sites in the village that might be interesting to see. As we are headed downhill from the church, we did go have a look at Numbers 1 and 2 (old wine press and village oven), but there wasn't much to see. We then headed west on the trail up to Monti di Lego and then to Val Resa. 

A look above us as we head down to the lower part of the village 

The alleyway to the lower part of the village. 

So many palm trees give this a Mediterranean flair. These palm trees can tolerate temperatures of up to minus 10 degrees. 

Here we reach the little chapel called Oratorio di Sant'Antonio, built in 1890, although the foundation walls are from the 17th Century. The building was, unfortunately, locked. 

Above us is the main parish church of Mergoscia. 

Again, a view of Lago di Vogorno and the large Contra Dam (which featured in the James Bond Movie "Golden Eye"), from the lower part of the town, which is called Rivapiana. 

This part of the village of Mergoscia is called Rivapiana. (View is to the east of the Valle Verzasca). 

Lots of nice stone constructions here, and lots of palm trees. 

Heading westward we now reach the "historical site" of the old village oven. (There wasn't much to see inside except the oven door). Our trail heads up to the paved road from here. 

Across from the old village oven is another chapel, this one was called "Oratorio di San Vicenzo", consecrated in 1753 and extensively renovated in 2007.  It also was locked.  

Generally speaking, it should take just over 90 minutes to get up to Monti di Lego. 

This western part of the village of Mergoscia is called Busada. 

You can just see down to the lake from here. It's now about 12:30, an hour after getting to Mergoscia by bus, and we now enter the forest trail for the approximately 90-minute hike up the mountain to Monti di Lego. 

Starting in Mergoscia at 10:45, we first wandered around the lower parts of the village, then headed out to the forest path, which is part of the Regional Trail no.74: "Sentiero Verzasca", and from there up to the mountain hamlet of Monti di Lego. (This section we had done once before in June 2018.) We then headed down to the next bus stop at "Brione S. Munisio" via Val Resa and caught the 15:31 bus. Total walking time would be about 3½ hours (slightly less if we headed out directly.) We did the hike in just under five hours.

The forest path in the sunshine was lovely, and it was quite warm here!

There are usually streams and waterfalls to cross. 

Salamanders are rarely sighted as they usually hide under wood or leaves, so we were lucky that Urs spotted this Fire Salamander on our trail. About 10 years ago was the last time we saw one of these, also in the Verzasca Valley. 

VIDEO:

Short video of the little fire salamander "running" away from us. 

The trail goes down into the little ravine in Valle di Mergoscia, where we cross the bridge and then have to climb up the 370 meters to the hamlet of Monti di Lego. 

Crossing the bridge in the Valle di Mergoscia. 

A photo of Urs while I stand on the bridge.

Because this side of the mountain is in shadow, it wasn't too hot, but we did sweat some!

Beautiful fall colours. 

We found a view bench for a well-deserved break. 

View of Mergoscia and the Verzasca Valley from our view bench. 

And a zoomed view of the Mergoscia church where the bus ends its run, and where we started our hike. 

Continuing uphill. 

On the way to the top we get to this clearing with a few stone buildings. Now it's now about 1 p.m. and we really needed our lunch, so we sat on a stone wall here with this great view. 

From here now, only another 20 minutes to get to Monti di Lego. 

Now a better view into the Verzasca Valley, with its steep and high mountains. 

When we got to Monti di Lego, we first went up to the highest point on the little hill here, where we can see past the little chapel and southwards across Lago di Maggiore! (Just past the little islands on the right is the border with Italy, which passes right across the center of the lake).  

View down to the Magadino Plain. 

The little hamlet up here!

Looking down over a couple of roofs. 

Down below is a little restaurant called a Grotto. We had first planned to stop here for refreshments, depending on how many people were here.

Great picture up at the cross. 

We had first considered to stop here for refreshments, but all the tables were taken, and there were too many people up here for our taste. 

So we headed to the bench next to the chapel (which was also locked), for a little rest before heading down on the south side of the mountain.

View over the Maggia Delta and Lago Maggiore from in front of the chapel. 

Taking a little break next to the chapel at Monti di Lego. 

Behind me is Monte Gambarogno. We were on the summit there in December 2016 with some spectacular views over the entire region. 

We didn't stay long, and started on the long descent at 1:50 p.m. Following Trail no.74: "Sentiero Verzasca", we should get to the Brione bus stop in 90 minutes, so just enough time for the 15:31 bus. 

Looking down at the roofs of one of several little mountain hamlets called "Monti". 

Gorgeous view of Monte Tamaro and Monte Gambarogno to the south. On the east side of the lake is the town of Tenero and the delta where the Ticino River enters into Lago Maggiore. 

Wooden bridges over side streams. 

At the back of the side valley (Val Resa) now, at Resa di Dentro, with a stunning view of El Trosa, whose summit we had also been up top once in August 2017, from where we had walked down to Mergosia

At 2:27 p.m., the sign says 1 hour to go to our bus! We walked quickly... usually we make it no problem when it is that close. In retrospect, we should have aimed for the connection 30 minutes later and taken our time here. Next main village is Viona, in 20 minutes. 

Unfortunately this valley was already in shadow. This is a hamlet called Sira. 

After a long stretch through the forest, we walked through another hamlet called Viona. Here's another look at the peaks at the back of the Resa Valley. 

We got to a main road with another view over Brione / Munisio etc. and the lake. This site is called the Viewpoint of Tendrasca. 

This bug looked so cute, waddling along the wall here... but later I discovered it is an acorn weevil, a dangerous pest for oak trees. I don't kill bugs, but this one would have been better removed!

To our east is the Valley Verzasca

That's a pretty fancy villa. 

Hurrying down the trail toward Brione. It was a very long stairway. 

We then came across an old Roman stone bridge, which is well-known locally. It exists here since the early 15th Century. 

The alleyways of Brione, shortly before the bus stop. 

This is the main street in Brione, and the bus stop is right next to the church at the back. We ran down the road and just made it to the bus! (We could have taken it more slowly and taken the next bus in 30 minutes, but it was this connection that we really wanted to reach!)

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

We saw the 15:31 bus was here and we raced to it as it was already 15:30. Urs hopped on the bus but I ran for one last photo of the lake directly on the left..... and when I turned around, all the doors were shut! I was right next to the driver door and was not sure if he would even let me in.... which is weird as they often wait if someone is even running to the bus. 

This is the final photo of Munisio and Locarno and the Maggia Delta below, just as the bus was going to leave the bus stop. 

Heading down the mountain again by bus, to the Locarno train station. 

From the bus now at 3:34 p.m. with a nice view of Monte Gambarogno, the Ceneri Pass, and the Magadino Plain west of Lake Maggiore. 

Lovely villa near the train station in Locarno. (Side note: Even though the bus driver wasn't crazy about the fact that I made him leave about 30 seconds late, we still got to the station before schedule and no one was late for their train to Bellinzona, which was jam packed full, mostly of people with large suitcases heading back home from their holidays). 

These are all the hikes we have done near the entrance of the Verzasca Valley between Locarno and Gordola/Riazzino. 

Where the Verzasca Valley is located within Switzerland.