Click here for the previous trip report from Valais. This series of trip reports is based on travel during April/May 2024.
We made our transfer to Locarno and the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. Things had not been going well in and out of Domodossola all week, and our train was no exception. Half the cars were missing, so "packed like sardines" took on real significance. Then it was onwards to Locarno via the famed Centovalli, or Hundred Valleys Railway. The Centovalli often makes top lists for scenic rail journeys, and there were indeed truly stunning segments. But I actually didn't think it was that magical, in part because the train itself was old, creaky, and slow -- basically a glorified subway car. Comfortable it was not. (There are actually two products on the Centovalli Railway, and we may have just drawn the short straw with the Panorama Cars. It is probably worth investigating on the website if you are considering this rail experience.)
Once settled into our apartment we decided to head out on an adventure deep into the rugged and less-traveled Onsernone Valley using the great Postbus system. We found ourselves WAY up in the mountains at a superb historical park -- the Parco dei Mulini di Vergeletto. This site has a historical mill, along with several other ancillary buildings and a beautiful waterfall. Back down the mountain, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner in Russo at the Ristorante Posta Russo. Homestyle cooking at its best! The Onsernone Valley is often described as "mysterious" and "unspoiled," so this journey was a real privilege into a lesser-known corner of Switzerland. The historic photos on the walls of Ristorante Posta attest to the region's strong sense of identity.
We got up early the next day and headed directly over to the Isole di Brissago, a well-organized and stunningly landscaped botanical garden in the middle of Lake Maggiore. This was very enjoyable, but follow our lead, and go early or off-peak. The crowds we saw disgorging onto the tiny island after us were alarming. If you've read my previous trip reports you know that two things that attract us are art history and scenic beauty. And a town with both a fantastic fresco collection AND a great waterfall? Yes, please! So we headed to Biasca, and the Church of SS Pietro e Paolo. The frescoes span the eras from primitive 1200s to exuberant Baroque. (Note: it is a long flight of stone stairs to reach the door). Afterwards we walked over to the Santa Petronilla Waterfall, with its interesting cross-crossing cascades.
For a cloudy, grey day we opted to focus on the region's two big L's -- Locarno, where we were staying, and Lugano. We walked the piazzas, shopped, and explored Locarno before heading to Lugano for lunch. We followed Michelin's recommendation for the restaurant Flamel, noted for its inexpensive (for Switzerland) lunch menu. It was a great recommendation and we concurred enthusiastically. After lunch we wandered down the high end shopping street past Gucci and Hermes until we incongruously came to the Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli. Who would have thought Lugano had such a show-stopping early Renaissance masterpiece? But inside is the massive frescoed work of Italian artist Bernardino Luini, a disciple of Leonardo da Vinci. There are more than 150 figures, each more vibrant and arresting than the last. (Note: there's conflicting information online about photography. Photography was allowed and the only sign that addressed the topic requested no photography during Holy Week masses.) Although a cloudy day, we opted for a short ferry trip around Lake Lugano, just to get a feel of it. A nice way to spend an afternoon.