ViaSett

Parc Ela is the biggest nature park in Switzerland. Nestled in its heart is Savognin, where this walk sets off. With the residential area behind you, head towards the Val Mulegna uphill from Tinizong and onwards to Alp Suregn. In this area, you are shielded from the traffic noise of the Julier Pass road. A little further along, you will arrive at the two lakes of Lais Blos, the perfect spot to take a break. The high-altitude mountainous landscapes in this area were also the inspiration for the famous painter Giovanni Segantini. The Senda Segantini hiking route is dedicated to him and overlaps with this leg of the ViaSett. Segantini painted en plein air in order to capture natural light faithfully in his paintings.

The next picturesque stop along the way is Alp Flix, surrounded by a mosaic of meadows, woodland, moors, lakes and rock faces. The trail then leads downhill for a while over the gorgeous high plateau with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains. This area is particularly beautiful in autumn when the larches turn gold. There are plenty of views to be had of the glittering blue Lai da Marmorera reservoir along the way. The reservoir dams up water from the river Julia, which flows into it from the south, and is popular with divers. It owes its popularity to the flooding of the village Marmorera in 1954, the submerged ruins of which can be explored on the reservoir’s bed. Some way uphill from the rebuilt village comes the last brief climb, before you arrive at Bivio, your destination for this leg, 45 minutes later.