Another Chapel-to-Chapel Hike in the stunning Onsernone Valley

Wednesday October 14, 2026 -- Once again we had considered trying out the hike from Grindelwald's Bachalpsee to Axalp, but it was unclear if there were clouds lower on the mountaintops, and we didn't want to risk again being up at the colder elevations without sunshine. So we chose the safer option of going south to the Ticino where there was the promise of sunshine and warm temperatures. Urs had also thought that the trees might be changing colour there.

We did a long trip into the remote Onsernone Valley, which is the other side valley branching off from the village of Intragna (the Centovalli being the other one). It is a beautiful and wild valley where few people go, and we hadn't been there since 2021, so we didn't mind the long trip for a relatively short hike.

Back in April 2021 we had started a hike in Vergeletto, itself a side valley of the Onsernone Valley, and hiked out to the village of Russo. Furthermore, we have done several hikes further down the Onsernone Valley, but the section between Russo and Loco is one we hadn't walked before. So that was our 8-km stretch that we did this day.

The buses in and out of the valley usually run only every two hours, so not wanting to start too early, we only got to the start of our hike in Russo at 11:15. We then wanted to catch the 14:58 bus back out of the valley at Loco, so we had less than four hours to do the 2½ hour walk. A long way to come for a short walk! But the weather was pleasant, the views just lovely, and we ended up admiring SEVEN old church buildings along the way, six of them open for viewing!

PART I: 40-minute Bus Ride from Locarno to Russo in the Onsernone Valley

It's only a two-hour trip to get from home to Locarno, but from there it is a long bus ride into the Onsernone Valley. (An additional 50 minutes to get to Russo, where we want to start our hike, but another 20 minutes or so to the end of the valley). Here we are passing one of very many churches in this region. (This one is called San Giorgio in Losone near Ascona, a church we haven't visited yet!)

As the bus passes just below the town of Intragna at the junction of the Centovalli and Onsernone Valleys, a look back eastward in the direction of Locarno. The valley at the back on the left is the Maggia Valley. 

This is the train bridge across the Melezza River, where the train from Locarno heads via Intragna (off photo on the left) into the Centovalli. Our bus is headed into the Onsernone Valley to the north. Interesting for us is the solitary building on the hillside, which is on the popular mule trail from Loco to Intragna, a hike we did in March 2017 (when there were no leaves on the trees and everything was BROWN!)

View up the Onsernone valley as our bus makes its way along the winding roads. The stretched out village in the center of the photo is Loco, where we are ending our hike, having started further back in the valley. 

Because the Vergeletto Valley, which branches off this valley at Russo, is also popular, there were enough people wanting to ride up the valley to bring in a second bus, which our bus followed. The Onsernone Valley is known for its many curves (about 300 till the back of the valley), so the bus had to blow its signature horn several times along the way!

Up above we get a look at the Loco parish church, the final church of the six churches we visited, which I only had time to quickly walk to before our bus back at about 3 p.m. 

This is what the whole stretch by bus from Intragna to Spruga looks like. We walked the stretch back from Russo to Loco, partly on the road, unfortunately. The more popular stretch is with the train via Intragna to Domodossola via Camedo in the Centovalli, a trip I did recently with my friend Bianca (photos HERE). 

At 11:10 we reached Russo, where the buses continued on to the end of the line at Spruga, and into the Valley Vergeletto, respectively. (Actually, this might really have been the reason for the two buses!) We left the bus here to start our hike back in the direction we came, but first a look at the village church. 

The Santa Maria Assunta Church in Russo was built in the 17th Century.

The main building here in Russo, where the bus stops, is the Ristorante Posta, where we have had lunch twice in the past 10 years. Once in October 2016 before we started a hike further down the valley from Berzano (which we passed through this day as well), and once in December 2017 with my Aunt Ruth on a rare day when it snowed here! 

A look at the western part of Russo before we head up through the village toward the hiking trail. 

PART II: 7-km walk from Russo to Loco, above and below the paved road

It was a long trip to come here (3 hours!) for just a 7-km walk, but the trip with the bus along the curving road is always a nice experience (this is at least the 8th time we have been in this valley). Starting in Russo at 11:30, we had a window of less than four hours to catch the 3 p.m. bus back to Locarno, as the next bus back was not till 5 p.m.  

Heading eastward along a mountain path above the village of Russo. Many of the houses here look like this one, with long narrow balconies on the front. 

Leaving the village of Russo. 

This is what the south side of the Onsernone Valley looks like, an unending forest of mostly chestnut trees. As there is a lot of shade in winter on that side, the few village in this valley dot the north side. The trees are JUST starting to turn a bit colour. 

We did have some narrow footpaths along the way, alternating between clearings and forests. 

Several small bridges to pass over along the way. 

It turned out to be a very warm day! So we were glad when we had the shade of the forests to walk through. 

Most of the chestnuts have dropped by now, leaving a carpet of nuts and husks to wade through!

We then reached a series of houses stretching down the hillside with this lovely old church. This is part of a community called Mosogno.  

A view behind up up the Onsernone Valley, with the steeple of the church in Russo just visible. We are currently walking on the hill on the upper side of the road. 

As it was now 12:20 and a good time for our picnic lunch, we first went to have a look inside the church and then sat under that tree for our 20-minute break. 

This lovely little chapel is called "Kapella Santa Maria della Natività", built in 1657. 

Considering this is a little mountain chapel, it had a very ornate interior, including a side altar. 

Very pretty interior in this very old mountain chapel 

A zoomed view of the town of Russo, and past that to the final two villages in this valley before the Italian border, namely Comologno and Spruga. The peaks at the far back are in Italy. (Urs had spent a year with a family in this valley near Comologno, learning Italian, but I have only been at the very back once in August 2013 after returning to Switzerland). 

We then headed down to the main road for the next section of the trail, which was below the road, in the lower part of Mosogno, called "Mosogno di Sotto". 

A look behind us at the small chapel "Santa Maria della Natività"

A long series of steps takes us down to the main road. 

For a short stretch we had to walk along the road. This is not really a problem, as there is not a lot of traffic here. At 12:50, the 12:24 bus from Spruga passes us on the way to Locarno. This means we have about two more hours before we catch the next one at 14:58 in Loco. 

Another long series of steps takes us now below the main road to the lower part of the village called Mosogno. 

Here in the lower part of Mosogno was another church, the third one we were able to visit. This one is called the "Chapel of the Madonna Addolorata", built in 1684 and restored in 1940.

Another attractive interior in another very old mountain chapel. This one actually had TWO side altars. 

Large paintings adorn the three altars in this lovely chapel. 

So much beautiful artwork to admire. The two recesses on either side of the altar hold additional relics. The chapel higher on the hill had similar small "cupboards". 

From there we then continued on an old trail parallel to the main road but lower down, through abandoned chestnut orchards with lots of terraces supported by stone walls. And bridges... 

Views to the forested slopes on the south side of the valley. 

There are often such shrines hidden in the forests as well. 

Back on the main road again, we had a stretch of about one kilometer along the road toward the next hamlet called Seghelina. 

Just after coming up to the main road, and at the east end of Mosogno called Cioss, we came across the fourth chapel, also open for viewing! According to this website, it must be the "Capella di San Giacomo". Translated from the website: "The chapel of Saint James is located in Chiosso; it was altered during the first half of the nineteenth century." (Side Note: There is a date of 1831 inscribed on the doorway lintel)

Interior of the roadside chapel at the east end of Mosogno.

Details inside the little roadside chapel San Giacomo, "updated" in the early 19th Century. 

The palm trees here in the Ticino are always pretty impressive! 

Across from Seghelina is a side road that heads up the hill away from the main road, to a small village called Berzona. At the junction of the road is another chapel called (?) the "Oratorio di Santa Maria di Loreto". It was locked and you couldn't see much through the window, but I totally forgot to photograph it, so I am borrowing a photo from the Internet. 

(I also neglected to take a photo of the village of Berzona as we started up the hill, so this is a photo from when we were here in October 2016, almost exactly 10 years ago). 

View down the valley from the road heading up to Berzona.

Even though we had been here in Berzona once before (almost exactly to the day 10 years ago, i.e. on October 19th, 2016, photos HERE), we headed up to the village anyway to have another look, especially at the church, of course!

A couple of details of the "Chiesa di San Defendente", built in 1564. The bell tower stands separately from the actual building, and is very tall. Translated from this website: “The bell tower was erected in 1676, though its crowning structure was not completed until more than a century later.”

Even though we had been here once before 10 years ago, at that time we had headed straight up the mountain, and this time we could wander around the alleyways with the cobble-stone streets and buildings with dates of 1713!

A look back at the church bell tower of the San Defendente church in Berzona. 

From up here in the village of Berzona you can see all the way to Monte Gambarogno, which is on the west side of Lago Maggiore. It looks like there is some mist over the lake there. 

From Berzona, we again had to descend a long series of steps to get back to the main road.

A final look up the Onsernone Valley on the final stretch along the main road into Loco. 

And now we have reached the village of Loco at 14:45, the end of our hike. Look at these narrow roads, where the bus can just squeeze through! (Looking behind us as we head through the village to the east).

As the roads are very narrow and the villages very steep, people have to learn to park by using as little space as possible. How is it that the car is so close to the wall without getting scratched!

Walking through the village of Loco. As the bus comes at 14:58, we have time to walk to the east end of the village where the parish church is located, the one we saw from the bus at the start of this day's outing. 

Past the roofs of the lower part of the village, we see the road that leads out of the valley, on the sunny hillside on the left.  

By the time we got to the final bus stop, it was 14:52, and even though there wasn't really enough time to enjoy this final church, I decided to walk over to it quickly, and take a couple of photos of the interior. 

The church is called "Chiesa di San Remigio". Translated from the Internet: "The church of San Remigio, mentioned as early as 1228, was likely completely rebuilt at the beginning of the 16th century. The bell tower bears the year 1506."

A quick look at the interior of the San Remigio church, although unfortunately I didn't have enough time to walk around and admire all the side altars. I will have to schedule a time to do that next time we come into the valley. 

The organ side of the beautiful San Remigio church in Loco, Onsernone Valley. 

Here comes our bus on time at 14:58. Urs did not come with me for the quick walk to the church, as he prefers not to risk missing the bus!

PART III: Bus ride back to Locarno

A look back at the San Remigio church as our bus heads back out of the valley. 

The bus coming back out of the valley was very full and we got the last seats near the front, where I could stand in the aisle and take some photos out of the driver's windows. I got a first-class look at the construction going on in the road, and how tight it was for the bus to cross!

 This view shows how narrow and winding the road is in this valley! 

Near the entrance of the valley, we get another look up the valley in the afternoon light, back to the town of Loco once again!

Approaching the town of Intragna now, before heading through the city of Locarno. We have been in Intragna often. It boasts the highest bell tower in Canton Ticino. 

These are all the hikes we have done in the region of the Onsernone Valley (as well as Maggia Valley and Centovalli). It is the stretch between Russo and Loco that we walked on this day. 

Location of the Onsernone Valley within Switzerland. It borders right onto Italy.