Nowhere else in Switzerland can you see the country's lowest and highest points in a single glance. From the mountain region of Cardada Cimetta, the deep blue of Lake Maggiore -- Switzerland's lowest elevation -- stretches out below, while the distant Dufour Peak on the Monte Rosa massif, the nation's highest summit, crowns the horizon. Between these two extremes, the entire Locarno area unfolds in a tapestry of lake, valley, and peak. The journey to the top is an experience in itself: a funicular from Locarno's city centre to Orselina, a cable car to Cardada (1340 m), and finally a chairlift to Cimetta (1670 m). The cable car cabins and their departure and arrival stations were designed by the celebrated Ticino architect Mario Botta.
The visit
The Locarno mountain rewards at every altitude, but two locations stand apart, both conceived by landscape architect Paolo Burgi. At Cardada, the landscape promontory consists of an elegant gangway that threads through the treetops of the forest below, leading to a suspended platform that projects the visitor into a breathtaking 180-degree panorama of Lake Maggiore, the Centovalli, and the Maggia Valley.
Higher up, at Cimetta's summit, the geological observatory offers a circular platform with a full 360-degree view. A bold red line marks the Insubric Line, the ancient fault along which the Alpine chain divides into its northern and southern halves. This great geological seam, cutting through much of Switzerland, traces the collision of the European and African tectonic plates that forged the Alps millions of years ago. From this privileged vantage point, you can see the mountains in all their raw power and begin to understand the immense forces that shaped them.
Architecture enthusiasts will appreciate Mario Botta's cable car stations and his distinctively designed water-drop-shaped cabins, which carry visitors to the summit in just 5 minutes.
Leisure for families
Just a short ride from the city centre yet immersed in magnificent mountain scenery, Cardada is a natural playground for families. After the exhilarating cable car ascent, children can explore a series of original, educational, and playful stations scattered along a 1.2 km recreational trail through shaded forest, designed by landscape architect Paolo Burgi. A small playground featuring Noah's ark and a large coordinated swing awaits younger visitors, while in the woods between the cable car station and the chairlift, a barefoot massage path invites everyone to reconnect with the earth beneath their feet.
Public transport
The most convenient way to reach the Cardada cable car is to take the Locarno-Orselina funicular railway, which departs just a few minutes' walk from the Locarno SBB railway station and the nearby multi-storey car parks. Alternatively, FART bus number 3 from the centre of Locarno runs directly to the cable car departure at Orselina.
If you have more time...Itinerary: Cardada Cimetta - Trosa (2h, see map)
Beyond its viewing platforms and family trails, Cardada is a gateway to numerous activities -- Nordic walking, mountain biking, paragliding, and rewarding hikes, including the climb to Pizzo Trosa. From the Cimetta station, a comfortable and well-signposted trail descends to Bassa di Cardada and then climbs through fragrant larches and blooming rhododendrons to the summit of Pizzo Trosa (1870 m), reachable in under an hour.
The panorama from the top is magnificent: the Locarno valleys fanning out before you, the broad Maggia Delta reaching into the lake, Lake Maggiore with the Brissago Islands glinting in the sun, the rocky profile of Pizzo Vogorno in the Verzasca Valley, the Magadino Plain, Monte Tamaro, and the jagged limestone spires of the Denti della Vecchia. Return to Cardada along the same route, or take the longer trail that loops through the Alpe di Bietri, past the Stallone mountain restaurant, and across the Alpe di Cardada.
