We cross into Switzerland and immediately notice the difference in the trains- clean, fast, efficient and not hot and stuffy. The rest of our travels will be in comfort.
We arrive in Locarno with its palm trees and much hyped 2300 hours of sunshine a year… to rain and gloomy skies… but we have been upgraded to a 3 bedroom penthouse in our little hotel, with an amazing view of the lake, so we are all pretty happy despite the weather.
Locarno is Switzerland’s lowest-altitude town, and has a Mediterranean climate… just not today. It also had a promenade strung along its mountain facing lakefront and botanical gardens bristling with subtropical flowers and foliage. Beyond the lake, there’s a pretty Renaissance old town to roam, which fans out from the Piazza Grande. We didn’t really have much time for that as I wanted to hop on a bus as soon as possible and head for the Verzasca valley and specifically Lavertezzo. The bus travels up extremely narrow roads with many hairpin bends as if travelling on a highway- no worries mate! Karen is thankful that she is no longer driving.
The Verzasca Valley is known for its gorgeous little rustic stone towns which dot the landscape… all so cute …even the roofs are made of stone and pretty flower boxes everywhere.
The flowers really thrive here, which I love… they look really happy and healthy and don’t look like they’re thirsty all the time like they would be at home. It’s also known for the pristine natural landscape through which flows clear turquoise/emerald water. Verzasca literally means “green water,” which proves that not only is it incredibly clean, but it’s always been that way.
It’s not food colouring, although it looks like it could be…it’s not a chemical reaction, and it’s not algae. It’s just mother nature at her absolute finest. Minerals from the rocks dissolve into the water over time and give it a greenish appearance, and without any pollution, it really takes on a vibrant and luminescent glow. It is just so amazing it’s hard to believe it’s real.
So, the town we have come to visit is Lavertezzo… which may just be the most gorgeous place in Switzerland, in my opinion (not that I’ve seen many 😂) but I just can’t really imagine beating this. Here, the emerald river flows over perfectly smoothed colourful rocks…
…carving out surprising shapes and hidden natural pools.
Like with most of the destinations I had added to our itinerary, I had seen photos of this amazing place on social media and imagined that they were likely heavily edited. Then I saw it for myself and realised that no, this is probably some of the clearest, cleanest water on earth… and perhaps some of the bluest.. or is it greenest? And maybe coldest 😂- so the swimming was definitely out! Cold water and me don’t really mix.
If you enjoy experiencing a beautiful, pristine alpine river… waterfalls too numerous to count … walking where sheep likely outnumber people… and a charming stone village full of character- this place is heaven.
Particularly renowned is a beautiful and practical 400 year old medieval stone bridge. The Ponte del Salti (‘bridge of jumps’- thanks to brave adventurists who jump down into the green waters below) is a double arched stone structure that allowed foot traffic, carts and small animals to cross the otherwise impassable river.
The stone arches float with patient tranquillity above the serene emerald pools below… although I can imagine the raging serpent it would become from the snow melt from the Lepontine Alps in the springtime… apparently creating dozens of waterfalls. We stand on the bridge and can feel the blue-green river writhing through the rocky gorge, past the stone village. The view is sensational.
I climb down and clamber over the rocks below to take a picture of the girls on the bridge.
I explore the amazing striped and colourful rocks of the riverbed which are polished by the magical jade green waters. The forest beyond the rocks pulsates with life… blanketed in green moss… hidden and mysterious. Here there is some kind of magical power that provides relaxation and rejuvenation.
We cross the main town bridge for the most spectacular view of the town and some of the cascades that run all year long.
We take so many photos it is ridiculous…
…and Karen’s dreams come true again as I spot a deer just beyond the terrace where we are having a little drink.
It is raining a misty rain but it actually creates an even more magical ambience
and I think to myself what a wonderful world 