ViaGottardo
Overview
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Distance 13 km
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Duration 3 h 30 min
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Ascent 240 m
Intro
Shortly after the Dazio Grande, you reach the Piottino-Schlucht gorge, one of the ViaGottardo's key passages. Countless structures are found along the entire section. Faido and Chiggiogna are the most important towns.
Description
Valle Leventina, located on the south side of the Gotthard Pass, is a transit valley on the connection between Basel and Chiasso. The upper part of the valley is known as Alta Leventina. It is separated from the rest of the valley by the steep and narrow Piottino gorge, which for a long time was a significant obstacle for the traffic crossing the pass. Nowadays, it is easy to get through with the support of tunnels and viaducts. On the northern end of the gorge is the village of Rodi. With the construction of the Gotthard railway at the end of the 19th century, Rodi turned into a residential village and now, as the largest community, it represents the centre of the municipality of Prato (Leventina).
The trail starts near Dazio Grande, the former customs house. After just a few steps you’re already in the majestic Piottino gorge, which used to form the border between Swiss and Milanese territory. The Ticino river gushing through the gorge is impressive, even scary, depending on the water level. When the motorway was constructed, the river was re-channelled through a tunnel. Once you have negotiated the altitude difference of approximately 150 meters between Alta Leventina and Media Leventina, you have reached the end of the gorge.
The walk continues for about an hour on a partly rock-strewn path through the forest in the direction of Faido. This village is the capital of the Leventina district. The golden era of tourism reached its pinnacle in Faido near the end of the Belle Époque. Impressive hotels and villas in the liberty style bear witness to the glorious past, but they are no longer in operation. However, in 1913 it was more expensive to spend a night in Faido than in St. Moritz. For the next hour and a half, a paved road along the Ticino river and the motorway leads to Lavorgo, where the fairly short section ends. It is the last village at the upper end of the Biaschina gorge with a northern ambiance and old Levantine buildings.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Rodi
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Lavorgo
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| Direction |
One way
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| Ascent |
240 m
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| Descent |
580 m
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| Distance |
13 km
|
| Duration |
3 h 30 min
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| Duration back |
3 h 50 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
|
| Physical requirements |
Medium
|
| Season |
March - October
|
| More information | https://www.schweizmobil.ch/en/wanderland/etappe7.... |
Quick Facts
Route number
