Ticino's most beautiful villages

From the shores of its lakes to the summits of its mountains, the Canton of Ticino is dotted with a large number of villages and towns, each with its own interesting history and different personality.

Here are three that shine with even more splendour and that you should take time to visit this summer if have not done so yet:

Lavertezzo
A real beauty entirely made of stone, Lavertezzo is famous in Ticino – and in the rest of Switzerland – for being a picture-perfect riverside village with a very pretty parish church. But what really makes this place popular is its double arch bridge crossing the incredibly blue waters of the Verzasca river: built in the 17th century to facilitate commerce, today, it has become a meeting point for daredevils who dive from it into what can only be described as ice cold water.

Sonogno
Located at the very end of the winding road that goes up the Verzasca Valley running along the eponymous river, Sonogno is a pedestrian-only paradise of stone houses, fountains and red geraniums on windowsills. The tall mountains around it make it the ideal starting point for unforgettable hikes, while the streets around town offer countless opportunities to shop or sit down for local products such as cheese, cold cuts, wine and honey.

Bosco Gurin
One of Ticino’s most unique villages, Bosco Gurin has a very ancient and interesting history: it was built during the Walser migration in 1244 at the very end of the Maggia Valley, near the Italian border and unlike the rest of the region, where Italian is the official language, the inhabitants of Bosco Gurin still proudly speak a Walser German dialect. Their strong attachment to their roots and traditions can also be seen in the wonderful architecture of the village, almost entirely made of wooden Walser-style houses, which add a unique Alpine charm to it. If you want to see Bosco Gurin at its most beautiful, visit in the winter when the village is covered in snow and the slopes are open for skiing.

If you still are looking for more inspiration, check out Switzerland's voted most beautiful village in 2016: Morcote. It is home to several architectural wonders listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. Among these are the ornate Church of Sant’Antonio Abate, an Egyptian temple and an abundance of Greek sculptures.