ViaGottardo, Stage 14/20

Giornico, the «gateway to the Leventina» is crammed with historic monuments. From here it's uphill on one of the oldest approaches to the Leventina valley via Faidàl and Personico. The Alp Transit visitor centre is located in nearby Pollegio.

The long hike through the Leventina begins at the Lavorgo bus stop. The route initially leads through villages and wooded hillsides to Chironico. In the old village centre stands the Oratory of Sant’Ambrogio, one of the oldest buildings in the valley. A little further on, the pilgrimage church of San Pellegrino stands directly on the route near Altirolo. It houses the most extensive cycle of late 16th-century frescoes in the canton of Ticino.

Beyond Giornico, where the Romanesque church of San Nicolao provides another highlight, the character of the route changes. A mountain trail marked in white-red-white climbs through extensive woodland, reaching its highest point near Faidalo at around 900 m. Open meadows provide variety along the long high-level section.

The mountain trail then descends to Personico. There it becomes an easier hiking trail again and passes Grotto Val d’Ambria on the way to Biasca. After 21 kilometres and just over six hours, the hike ends near the Biasca bus stop. With around 840 metres of ascent and 1,150 metres of descent, it calls above all for stamina.