Chironico to Giornico via Grumo and Sacco in the Leventina Valley.

Wednesday June 3, 2026 -- Once again, we chose to head south of the Gotthard range, but at mid-Leventina Valley where the mountains are higher and steeper and very densely forested, and where the villages are smaller and the temperatures are cooler (in fact, there was a cold wind blowing while we waited for the bus at the Lavorgo train station, and I didn't have a jacket with me.)

On two previous occasions we have walked between the villages of Chironico and Giornico, but along a lower trail (photos of the August 2016 hike are HERE), so this time we decided on a stretch between these two villages once again, but on a higher mountain trail which we had not done before, with very nice forest paths (some overgrown, leading to us transporting some little ticks once again), huge chestnut trees, hamlets with typical stone houses, a waterfall, and some nice views into the Leventina Valley. 

On the 2015 hike we did between Lavorgo and Giornico, we had visited the two fantastic churches in Giornico, one of which is the Romanesque San Nicolao Church, one of the most impressive examples of Lombard Romanesque architecture in Switzerland., built in the second half of the 12th Century. Well worth another look on our way to the bus stop, although, as usual, we were rushing to not miss the hourly run!

To catch this bus (8:36) in Lavorgo in the Leventina Valley, we had to leave home at 6:15 a.m. I was shocked to see that the bus was already full of kindergarten children, also heading up to Chironico to school there, and the (luckily!) short 10-minute ride was very noisy. 

The little bus reaches the mountain village of Chironico at 8:45 a.m. This is a view into the Val Chironico. 

Even though we have visited the parish church of San Maurizio once before in 2015, we took a detour into the church once again to admire the interior. This church was first mentioned in documents of 1219, but was totally rebuilt near the turn of the 16th-17th Centuries. 

A very simple interior, not a lot of pomp like the ones we often see. 

At the back of the church is also a very unusual-looking organ, with the pipes on both sides of the center of the balcony. 

Details of the inside of the church. In particular, the wall with the exposed frescoes was quite pretty. 

They  have the most fabulous cemeteries in Canton Ticino. 

View of the village of Chironico from the site of the parish church, all alone on a small hill south of the town. Due to construction work, the bus actually dropped us off on that road across the river instead of inside the town. We didn't detour into the town this time, as we had inspected it in detail in both the 2015 hike up from Lavorgo, as well as one year later in August 2016. (The church would well be worth another look, though, as seen on this photo I took at the time: --> San Ambrogio). 

A short distance up the road from Chironico, we arrived at a little village called Grumo, where we had never been before. So of course we took a stroll through the village. (From here we continue toward Orsino, although it definitely took longer than 40 minutes). 

Heading up into the village of Grumo. 

You don't often see yellow window shutters!

So pretty here in this mountain village!

Such an attractive village fountain!

Oratorio di San Carlo, built approximately 17th Century. We walked all around it looking for the possibility of an open door, but it was all locked up. We asked a local woman who was working in her garden whether one could ask for a key to go in and see the inside, but she said no one had the key. (Which I can't believe. She probably thought we were annoying tourists). 

How pretty!

A look at the small church on the hill as we head out of Grumo on the hike for the day at 9:30. 

And a final look back at the village of Grumo. 

Starting in Chironico at 8:50 with a detour to the parish church and a bit of time spent in the village of Grumo, we actually started our hike at 9:30, and ended at the bus stop in Giornico at 1:30 p.m. From there it was just a 2-hour trip home. 

This region is replete with giant chestnut trees! Some of them have insides that look dead, but the trees are still flourishing. 

Looking along the Leventina Valley to the north, it is interesting to us to see the hillside where we recently hiked from above Carì to Molare, in July of 2025.

More huge chestnut trees!

And look at this fantastic tree trunk! The entire tree was at least three times higher than this!

By 10:30 we got to the village called Orsino. In that case, it took us an hour to get here instead of 30 minutes as per the sign at Grumo!

Looking down at the village of Orsino, which we pass through. 

After the initial cold wind down at the Lavorgo train station, the rest of the day presented us with ideal walking weather. Walking on forest trails with the combination of shade and sunshine is the best. 

Our map showed us there was a waterfall here, but we could not see much of it from this view-point. As we were planning to leave the trail and head down to the road to the village of Sacco anyway from here, we figured we'd detour to the waterfall below. 

Crossing the stream that creates the waterfall (The stream is called Fouda). 

From here we were planning to leave the main trail and head into the small village called Sacco on a paved road, and double back to the waterfall..... 

...but then we decided to just simply head down through the forest right to the river. We could just make out a bit of an overgrown trail... 

And then we got to see the waterfall from below! It was so pretty, as well as the lovely pool formed at the bottom. 

VIDEO:

We were so happy to have taken the detour to the waterfall

It was stunning!

Heading back out to the mountain road now, to the little hamlet called Sacco. 

It's 11:00 and we needed an early lunch, so these two benches offered a great place to stop... with the lovely houses of Sacco above us. 

The view from our bench is to the north, into the Chironico Valley. High up on the moutain are a few mountain hamlets, and it is our plan to visit them one day, on a 2-day trip with an overnight in the hamlet A-Cesc. 

Continuing on again at 11:15! Not a really long break...

And now we get the first view of the valley town of Giornico, where we are ending this hike. 

Another long but interesting stretch through the forest. 

I wonder what this impressive stone wall is for! Sometimes these walls are built to divert possible avalanches from hitting the towns in the valley below. 

Down below is the town of Giornico, the end of our hike. It is well possible that this wall is an avalanche diverter!

Close-up look at the two major churches in Giornico: San Michele (parish church) is the nearest one, then San Nicola (or San Nicolao) is the further one, a Romanesque building dating from the late 12th Century and the most important Romanesque Church in Canton Ticino. 

We passed many of these huge and gnarly chestnut trees. They look dead inside, so it's amazing that they still grow!

Just before our final descent to Giornico, we came across this lovely property called "Pro Taton" where we took a break on a convenient bench. It was here that Urs discovered two of those minuscule poppyseed-sized ticks on himself (one walking down his arm, one on his shirt), so I checked my legs and sure enough, there was one which had actually already attached itself! That's the third one in two months. I guess they like me!

Here at the site called "Catto", we did the final descent to Giornico. This stretch is one we did back in October 2020, but ascending from Giornico, and heading south from here. 

In Canton Ticino, there are many such trail-side shrines. Most are little works of art. 

View up the Leventina Valley on our final descent into Gironico. We crossed beneath the highway at the arrow, then crossed the smaller river at the bridge, then beneath the railway line, and from there visited the two churches. There is an island in the middle of the Ticino River here, which you also have to cross to get to the main road and the bus stop.

Another close-up look at the two churches we are having a quick look at after crossing beneath the railway line. 

After crossing beneath the highway and heading toward the town, this is a view down the Leventina Valley. 

And looking behind us to where we had descended from. 

View of the San Michele parish church from the cemetery. In the background you can see the tower of San Nicolao church. The cemetery is apparently mentioned in documents of 1372. 

Interior of the San Michele parish church. It is assumed that the original build is from about the year 1000, and a church here was first mentioned in documents from 1210. Of the original church, only the baptismal font remains, stored at the San Nicolao church. 

Details of the San Michele Church. The bell tower stands separate from the main building. The organ was built in 1797 and the stunning side altar with the folding doors is a Gothic beauty from 1517.

It's now 13:14 and we want to catch the 13:30 bus at the main road (5 minutes to get there), so can only afford a quick look into the two churches. We didn't have time to go up to the castle ruins and Santa Maria church there, but we'd seen the site on the August 2016 hike. 

Heading now to the entrance of the San Nicolao church for a quick look inside. (We have been here before in October 2015). 

Higher up and on the far side of the highway is the fortress ruins and the Santa Maria di Castello church. We visited the ruins on the August 2016 hike, but it would be worth going back on a different day!

The San Nicolao Church was built in the late 1100's and is one of the most impressive exambles of Lombard Romanesque architecture in Switzerland. Beneath the main altar is the crypt room. 

It was not permitted to get up to the Apse this time (there were cordons at the bottom of the steps).  This is the best photo I could take. I did not go down into the Crypt. 

(Side note: These are the photos I took on our October 2015 hike from Lavorgo to Giornico. At that time it was allowed to walk up into the upper apse.)

Heading down toward the Giornico Island, a look back at the San Michele parish church. 

This is the first of two stone bridges which we have to cross to get to the main road. Part of the village sits on an island in the Ticino River. 

A view down this part of the Ticino River from the arched bridge.  

Looking up-valley to the beautiful vehicle bridge, also made of stone!

The "Isola di Giornico" is the original part of town, established in Medieval times, approximately 12th or 13th Centuries. 

Heading over the second arched bridge toward the main road. 

View down the Ticino River on the second stone bridge. 

Just a short stretch now to the main road and the bus stop. 

While waiting for the bus, I took a look back across the rooftops to the side of the valley which we had just hiked. The trail would have been at the level of the red dotted line. 

We rushed to make sure we caught the 13:30 bus, but it was quite a bit late. (It comes from quite a bit further up the valley with many options for delays). As it turns out, we missed the train in Bodio, so we stayed sitting in the bus to Biasca, and had just two minutes to get to the train there, which we managed to reach! We still managed to get home as planned by 4 p.m. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

These are the hikes we have done in the region around Chironico Valley, on both sides of the Leventina Valley. 

Location of this part of the Leventina Valley within Switzerland.