Page 232 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

under a huge hydroelectric church with Gothic frescoes.
plant. All the houses are made Just north of Biasca lies
of grey stone, and massive Malvaglia. The 16th- to 17th-
boulders have been adapted century church here has a
into shel ters for animals and Romanesque tower and
humans alike. These structures, its façade features a large
which are sometimes built into painting of St Christopher.
the rock, are called sprügh. Negrentino is notable for its
In such precipitous terrain,
early Romanesque church of
EXPERIENCE Central Switzerland and Ticino 20 The village of Foroglio, 111 m (365 ft). The waterfall is is decorated with stunning
water falls abound. The most
St Ambrose, whose tall square
impressive in all Ticino is the
belfry tower can be seen from
afar. The interior of the church
Cascata di Foroglio which falls
an easy walk from the hamlet
frescoes dating from the 11th
to the 16th centuries. Lottigna
of Foroglio, which is on the
has an interesting museum of
Swiss postal bus route.
regional history (the Museo
Storico della Valle di Blenio).
Val Bavona, a popular
The villages higher up the
21
base for hiking
valley, such as Olivone, are
Valle di Blenio
good bases for mountain
excursions and hikes.
! E5 n Via Lavorceno,
Val Bavona
www.blenio.com
! E5 @ n Centro
This broad scenic valley,
Commerciale, Maggia; 91
Airolo
washed by the River Brenno,
753 18 85; www.ascona- Olivone; 91 872 14 87; 22
locarno.com leads up to the Lucomagno ! E5 n Casella Postale 145,
Pass (1,916 m/6,286 ft). The Airolo; 091 869 15 33;
Said to be the steepest and road up the valley and over www.airolo.ch
rockiest valley anywhere in the pass leads into the canton
the Alps, the beautiful Val of Graubünden. Val di Blenio Located just below the St
Bavona is very wild – almost lies in the heart of rural Ticino. Gotthard Pass, Airolo lies at
a world apart from the lush One of the sunniest spots in the point where the motorway
meadows and hills found the country, it has magnificent and railway line through the
elsewhere in the country. It scenery and is dotted with St Gotthard Tunnel emerge.
is deserted in winter and still picturesque villages. As it is bypassed by these
not connected to the Swiss Biasca, at the foot of the major routes, Airolo is a quiet
electricity grid, despite being valley, has a Romanesque town. With several hotels, it

Negrentino’s church with its
beautiful Romanesque and
late-Gothic frescoes
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