Settle into your seat, press your face to the window, and let one of the world's most spectacular railway journeys unfold before you. The Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway -- celebrated by Lonely Planet's "Amazing Train Journeys" guide as one of the planet's finest scenic rides -- carries passengers on a slow, mesmerising voyage from Locarno to Domodossola in Italy, threading through deep gorges, wild mountains, tumbling waterfalls and tiny stone villages that seem frozen in time. A free audio guide, available on all international trains, enriches every kilometre with fascinating details and local stories.
Inaugurated in 1923, this remarkable railway transports 150,000 passengers each year across a 52-kilometre route that crosses 83 bridges and plunges through 31 tunnels. Each season paints the landscape anew: snow-blanketed peaks in winter, flowering meadows in spring, the intoxicating green of summer and a blaze of amber and gold in autumn.
The Journey
The adventure begins in Locarno. After about 20 minutes through the Terre di Pedemonte, you reach the village of Intragna -- home to the tallest bell tower in Ticino (65 metres high, 165 steps), the Regional Museum of Centovalli and Pedemonte, the parish church and a striking 16th-century Roman-style bridge. The museum recounts the rigours of valley life in centuries past, setting the tone for the wild beauty to come.
Between Intragna and Camedo, the route plunges into the untamed heart of the Centovalli. The train glides across spectacular bridges slung high above the valley floor, offering sweeping views of dense forests, rushing torrents and picturesque villages clinging to steep slopes.
After passing through customs at Camedo, you enter the breathtaking Vigezzo Valley on the Italian side. Nicknamed "the valley of painters" for its pristine, light-filled landscapes, the valley unfolds in dense woods and wide, tranquil plains. The first Italian village is Re, dominated by the imposing Basilica of Madonna del Sangue, a pilgrimage destination as revered as the Sacred Calvary Mount of Domodossola and the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso in Locarno.
Just beyond Re lies the charming town of Santa Maria Maggiore, ideal for a leisurely stroll. Visit the "Casa del Profumo" (House of Perfume), which celebrates the invention of Cologne Water by a Vigezzo Valley native who emigrated to Germany, and the "Museo dello Spazzacamino" (Chimney Sweepers Museum), a touching tribute to the many young valley dwellers who headed north in search of work during past centuries. A short distance from the historic centre, the picturesque settlement of Craveggia -- renowned for its magnificent gneiss roofs and distinctive chimneys -- can be reached on foot or by public transport.
A stop in Santa Maria Maggiore is also the perfect occasion to savour a superb meal at one of the valley's restaurants or to browse the local botteghe for delicious regional specialties. The journey concludes in Domodossola, in the heart of Piedmont's Val d'Ossola -- a handsome town whose atmospheric historic centre hosts a lively traditional market every Saturday.
A trip on the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway combines beautifully with excursions to destinations accessible on foot or via the cable cars of Verdasio-Rasa, Monte Comino and Intragna-Pila-Costa.
