Tremorgio and Leìt

High above the Leventina Valley, where crystal-clear alpine lakes mirror the sky and wildflower meadows carpet ancient glacial plateaus, the hike to Tremorgio and Leit reveals one of Ticino's most rewarding mountain landscapes. A swift cable car ride whisks you 900 metres upward, delivering you into a world of shimmering waters, mineral-rich terrain, and rugged peaks that unfold in ever more dramatic fashion the deeper you walk into the highlands.

Itinerary: Tremorgio-Leit (4h, see map)

The journey begins in the village of Rodi-Fiesso (940 metres), where a cable car operating from June to October lifts you in just minutes to the Tremorgio hut at 1,850 metres. As the cabin rises, the valley floor drops away and the first reward appears: a sweeping view of Lake Tremorgio, its waters harnessed for nearly a century to produce hydroelectric power. In autumn 2012, the Carlo Danzi Foundation funded a gentle 3-km trail that loops the lakeshore in roughly 40 minutes, perfect for a leisurely stroll on flat ground. Local products and hearty hot meals await at the hut during summer months.

From the cable car station, less than an hour of easy walking brings you to the vast plain of Alpe Campolungo at 2,100 metres, threaded by a crystal-clear stream. This idyllic plateau, long studied by researchers for its rich mineralogy, bursts into colour each summer. Lush meadows blaze with gentians, anemones, rhododendrons, buttercups, and columbines, their petals swaying gently in the mountain breeze.

As you climb toward Lake Leit, roughly 45 minutes onward, the soft pasture surrenders to bare rock and the landscape transforms entirely. "Leit" means "small lakes" in the local Leventina dialect, and the name captures their intimate charm. Above, the magnificent Pizzo Prevat stands silhouetted against the sky, a beloved summit that draws skilled mountaineers to test themselves on its demanding flanks. The Leit Hut offers the perfect pause, with simple, satisfying dishes such as creamy polenta paired with regional alpine cheeses.

The adventurous can press on for another 45 minutes along a steep, challenging path to discover Lake Varozzeira at 2,400 metres, a hidden gem whose waters shimmer with an almost purple hue. Allow about two hours to reach Lake Leit from Tremorgio, and just under three hours for Lake Varozzeira. Those seeking an overnight adventure can tackle the three-and-a-half-hour climb to the Campo Tencia Hut, the first alpine refuge built in the Ticino Alps when it opened in 1912, and from there attempt Pizzo Campo Tencia itself. At 3,701 metres, it is the highest peak in the Ticino region, roughly three hours from the hut.

Geo-Tourism Trail of Campolungo

Inaugurated in the summer of 2016, the geo-tourism trail of Campolungo offers two routes: a gentle circuit skirting Lake Tremorgio and a more demanding path climbing to the Leit Hut. Educational panels along the way illuminate the geology, hydrology, mineralogy, flora, and fauna of this remarkable alpine landscape, turning every step into a journey through deep time.