Morcote – San Salvatore (913m) – Morcote

What a beautiful hike! We drove down to the south of Switzerland to the beautiful, lakeside village of Morcote on the south pointing peninsula of Lake Lugano. A beautiful village well worth taking the time to stroll through – although the hike also ends back here when you can then suitably end the hike with gelato.

Morcote won the title of “the nicest village of Switzerland 2016” and it’s easy to see why. It is also called “pearl of the Ceresio” and was once a fishermen’s village with houses facing the lake and porticos once used to shelter boats.

When we did the hike on a bright winter’s day in early February the village was almost deserted and even more stunning for it.

Once you’ve crossed the centre and its narrow alleys, a long stairway (about 400 steps) climbs up towards the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Sasso (Saint Mary of the Rock).

Along the way you will see a beautiful fountain, a few chapels and a religious building dedicated to Sant’Antonio abate (Saint Anthony the Abbot).

Finally the steps end and we entered the woods still heading upward until we reached the clearing of Alpe Vicania. The steep climbing is now over so relax!

We headed off again through more woods, pass the village of Baslon and entered the botanical park at San Grato.

We skirted the village of Carona and then onto the next charming village – Ciona – beautiful.

It was a then a steady final climb and another 45 minutes hiking to the peak of San Salvatore.  There are wonderful views in all directions. To the north west the you can see Monta Rosa massif and the highest mountain of Switzerland (Dufourspitze).

To the south you can see beyond the Alps toward Milan – beautiful in all directions.

We headed down again and pretty much re-traced our steps back to Morcote.

Even though we walked back on the same paths the views were still beautiful.

We finally arrived back at the lakeside – Morcote certainly is one of the prettiest villages in Switzerland!