Lakes of St. Gotthard

Scattered across the roof of the Alps like fragments of fallen sky, the lakes of St. Gotthard are among the most mesmerising sights in the Swiss mountains. At this altitude, pools of shimmering blue and emerald mirror the surrounding peaks with spectacular clarity, their surfaces ruffled by alpine breezes that send light dancing across the water. The significant elevation means summer and early autumn are the best seasons for the hike. The walk is not technically difficult, but it does require a reasonable level of fitness and proper equipment -- a small price for landscapes that will stay with you long after you descend.

Itinerary: Lakes of St. Gotthard (5h, see map)

The trail threading these mountain lakes winds through the wild heart of the Alpine range, framed by towering peaks and dotted with massive granite boulders perched on flowering meadows and lakeshores -- a landscape assembled with the precision of a natural mosaic.

The route departs from the Hospice at the top of the St. Gotthard Pass (2,091 metres), reachable by car (parking available) or by PostBus. Following the white-and-red-marked trail indicating Orsino-Realp, you head toward the Lucendro Dam. The lake of the same name is immediately striking for its intense, almost otherworldly light-green colour.

The next expanse of water on the trail is Lake Orsino. Resting at 2,286 metres, with banks of gravel and alpine grass, its waters are such a deep blue that they seem like an open eye gazing upward at the sky. A farmhouse comes into view just beyond. As you climb higher, the beautiful Lake Orsino remains visible below while two more lakes draw near: the Orsirora pair. The first gleams deep green; the second, a vivid blue. Their name may hint at the past presence of bears in this remote region. Further along the trail, two small lakes called Valletta (2,468 and 2,432 metres) appear, followed by still more pools of iridescent blue and emerald -- bizarrely shaped, reflecting sky and mountain, set among moss and lichen-crusted rock. Stirred by light breezes that ripple their surfaces, these sparkling bodies of water cast a spell whether viewed from their grassy banks in contemplative silence or admired from the heights above.

Alpine flora and fauna accompany you throughout, and you may well catch a glimpse of timid marmots darting between the rocks. The trail takes approximately 5 hours without stops.

To round out the day, consider visiting the National Museum of St. Gotthard, which uses documents, reconstructions, and videos to illuminate the historic importance of this great north-south passage through the Alps.