Monte Tamaro

• Attraction type: Natural site, Mountain top, By cable car
• Escort: independent (no guide)
• Region: Lake Maggiore (Ticino), Lake Lugano (Ticino)
• Duration: 1 day or less

What is Monte Tamaro?

Monte (Mount) Tamaro is a peak east of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Its altitude is 1,962 m. The place you can reach by a gondola is Alpe Foppa at an altitude of 1,530 m.

We think this attraction might be overlooked by tourists, as it's not in one of the well known towns in the area. But it's easy to reach and well worth a visit.

Activities at Monte Tamaro

The place you'll reach by gondola is Alpe Foppa. This is what to expect there:

• You'll have a panoramic view of countless mountains and the town of Bellinzona in the valley.
• There's a restaurant and a playground.
• The modern Santa Maria degli Angeli church is designed by Mario Botta. This is one of most famous churches in the canton of Ticino, along with the Madonna del Sasso. The roof is accessible too, so you can enjoy the view from there.
• There are various hiking options in summer. A very scenic one is the 1-hour walk up to the Capanna Tamaro, a hut on the trail to the actual peak of Monte Tamaro. The hut at 1,878 m offers a restaurant (with meals on request) and you can sleep there. There is a 360°-view of the entire region. Unlike the view from Alpe Foppa, you can also see Lake Maggiore and Locarno from here. The trail is on a north-facing slope, so it can be snow-covered well into spring.
• You can have fun with the summer toboggan run and the zipline.
• Other sports options are mountain biking and paragliding.
• From the mid-station you'll have access to a rope park, called the Adventure Park.

Preparation

Check the weather forecast, so you can estimate if it's worth going up. If the mountain is covered in clouds you will not be able to see the views.

Dress in multiple thinner layers so that you can adapt to the different temperatures in the valley and up the mountain. It can be windy at the top. Take along sun glasses. Hiking shoes are required if you plan to leave the area around the cable car station to go hiking.

Allow at least an hour at Alpe Foppa. This does not include the time to get there. A full day can be spent here if you take your time and enjoy a hike or one of the other activities.