ViaGottardo, Stage 17/20

Over old, stony trails in the forest south of Tesserete, you reach the forest church of San Bernardo. Magnificent views of the lake and the surrounding mountain landscape open up. Past orange trees and vines, the route continues between old walls and modern buildings to the lakeshore in Lugano.

From the Tesserete, Stazione stop, the hike initially leads through the village and on to Vaglio. The built-up area is soon left behind. A mountain path climbs through the woods to San Bernardo, where the route reaches its highest point at around 690 metres.

From there, the route is mostly downhill. The Via Crucis di Comano lies directly on the route, after which open meadows and residential neighbourhoods alternate. Via Comano and Porza, the trail gradually approaches the densely built-up area of Lugano. The contrast with the quieter first section could hardly be greater.

In Lugano, the route passes the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo. From its elevated position, views open up over the city and towards the lake. The final section continues down to the shore and briefly follows Lake Lugano. After around twelve kilometres and just over three hours, the hike ends at the Paradiso stop.