Pardy and the mystery of the hidden chestnut. Calling all clever sleuths – your help is needed on this puzzle adventure.

...you just have to go to the picturesque village of Intragna, where Ticino’s highest church tower stands 65 metres and 11.4 centimetres tall. The journey is something very special: the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway winds its way through the Valley of a Hundred Valleys (Centovalli), from Locarno to Intragna and then on to Domodossola in Italy, passing over a staggering 83 bridges and viaducts along the way. Other than for these panoramic routes, the “Hundred Valleys” are still left entirely to nature.

First there is the chestnut hunt and a visit to a grotto, and after that comes the panoramic ride on the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway to Domodossola. So, get ready to embark on Intragna’s puzzling chestnut hunt and make sure to keep your wits about you. 

Pardy can sometimes be found in Intragna visiting his friend Luna, the black cat. Today, however, he is there because one of his many animal friends, the vixen Fioralba, is missing a chestnut that is immensely important and dear to her. Pardy cannot bear to see Fioralba so sad. Please help him find the chestnut and make Fioralba happy again. 

There is not just one family chestnut hunt, but four: in Ascona, Locarno and Tenero as well as on Cimetta. To play the chestnut hunt game, you will need to buy a discovery box from an Ascona-Locarno Tourism information point
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It contains everything you will need to hunt for the chestnut and solve the puzzles: the discovery book containing a number of stories and illustrations, seven gadgets, a Morse code alphabet chart and a chestnut hunt treasure map.

A black cat is sprinting across the Piazza Municipio. It’s Luna, another of Pardy’s friends, who knows Intragna inside and out. Perhaps she will give you a hint or two. 

Let’s get started. Sharpen your senses and concentrate, because it’s time for the first task. Using the treasure map, you will find the individual stations as well as the necessary utensils in the discovery box and important clues in the discovery book in order to actually solve the individual puzzles, since certain clues and solutions can only be made visible through e.g. lighting and measuring. 

The chestnut hunt leads through the winding alleyways of Intragna, and you will be able to sense the rich history of this village. The Centovalli and Pedemonte Regional Museum takes visitors through this history and introduces them to an interesting collection. 

Intragna is best known for the tower of the Church of San Gottardo, which was reconstructed in 1722 and is dedicated to St Gotthard. It features a baroque altar with an elegant balustrade. The church and the tower are open to the public. The entrance ticket to the Regional Museum also includes admission to the church tower.

If you’ve come here from Locarno, you’ve probably already travelled over the 80-metre-high railway viaduct. It crosses the rivers Isorno and Mezzorno.

Amidst all the puzzle-solving and head-scratching, it would be easy to overlook the beautiful views over Intragna from the yellow church. But it is well worth stopping here for a while, as the views of Intragna and its church tower are truly magnificent. Then it’s back down to the old town, through the narrow winding alleyways, where the chestnut hunt continues.

Treasure hunting is lots of fun but also hungry work. Quickly head into the grotto, relax and enjoy a delicious risotto or polenta. There’s delicious coffee for the parents and top-notch gelato for the kids. Rested and replete, you’ll be ready to continue exploring the holiday region of Ascona-Locarno... This way to the next adventure!