Question: do you know the concept of “widespread hotel“? We confess our ignorance in stumbling upon this definition: we had never heard of it! And wanting (in the spirit of Frassica) “improve our ignorance“, And perhaps even that of the few readers as unprepared as we are, we consulted Wikipedia and discovered that a widespread hotel is” a hotel accommodation company located in a village, made up of several houses, pre-existing and close to each other, with unitary management and in able to provide hotel services to all guests “. In short, it is a small town transformed into a large hotel.
Why are we talking about it? Why was theAlbergo Diffuso Corippo in the Verzasca Valley, in the Canton of Ticino. The tiny village, of only 12 inhabitants, from summer 2021 will offer guests the all-round experience of an authentic Ticino village, with its typical architecture, nature, culture and cuisine. The managers explain: “With the realization of this innovative hotel project, the architecture of the village will be preserved while promoting tourism, which will guarantee the survival of the village. On the Italian model, the cottages will be transformed into rooms, the village streets will become the corridors of the hotel, while the tavern will be the future reception and meeting point with a panoramic terrace ”(www.corippo-albergodiffuso.ch).
Also from the Ticino Canton comes a different idea, but always based on territorial diffusion: “Swing the World” – Swing with panoramic view, is a project created by Elena Cappelletti and Fabio Balassi, a young couple from Ticino who created, during the spring 2020 lockdown, an attraction distributed throughout the region. They describe it as follows: “Discover the most hidden corners of Ticino, swinging on the wooden plank, immersed in breathtaking views and feeling in symbiosis with the landscape: on the lake, on top of a mountain, near a waterfall or in a square. With the installation of swings in the most beautiful places in Ticino, guests can discover nature from a different perspective, in the mountains, in the woods or on the lake. Currently 8 Swing Spots are installed in Ticino. In collaboration with Ticino Turismo, more will follow in 2021 ”(www.swingtheworld.ch, ticino.ch/swingsticino).
Then there is the proposal of a journey through time with the historic Centovallina. The Centovalli Railway connects Locarno with Domodossola, crossing the landscape of the Centovalli, where authentic villages, deep gorges, wild mountains, rivers and waterfalls are waiting to be discovered. During 7 Sundays (18 April, 16 May, 20 June, 18 July, 22 August, 19 September and 10 October 2021) nostalgic and passionate people can take part in a journey on the Locarno-Camedo railway section aboard the historic train, consisting of the electric train ABDe 6/6 from 1963 and two AB4 wagons from 1923, the year of inauguration of the Centovalli route. A train journey in an atmosphere of other times, in the romantic historic wood-paneled wagons, which will thrill not only the nostalgic. Tickets start at just CHF 10.– and must be booked in advance (www.vigezzinacentovalli.com).
Shopping on the farm: a visit by bike to the farms of the Piano di Magadino. Cycling has always been Marcello Stivan’s passion. With his Spesa on the farm tour he combines this passion for ecological mobility with sustainable consumption, buying directly from producers. On Wednesday mornings, if the weather is nice, it offers the opportunity to go shopping with friends by bicycle on the farms of the Piano di Magadino. The meeting point is the Bellinzona train station. Those who do not have their own bicycle can rent one from him. The pleasant ride towards the farms is easy and takes place away from road traffic, crossing the Piano di Magadino between fields of corn, orchards, cows, cats and chickens. Each farm offers its own specialties: fresh vegetables, succulent fruit, including, depending on the season, also berries, which serve as a snack during the trip. Alp cheese, yogurt and ice cream, honey, eggs and local salami are transported by Marcello for the guests in a thermal container. For children, the tour offers many activities, as the farms are perfectly prepared for the visit of the little ones with swings, toy tractors, crayons and animals. Participation costs CHF 5.– with a minimum purchase of CHF 20 (ticino.ch/magadino).
The Piansecco hut shines in a new guise. The Bedretto Valley, at the foot of the Gotthard Pass, is one of the snowiest regions in Switzerland in winter and a popular destination for hikers in summer. After 21 months of renovations, the Swiss Alpine Club reopened the Piansecco hut in 2020, which presents itself in a new modern guise. It is an ideal destination for the whole family, as the ascent from the valley from All’Acqua takes only an hour. In winter the hut is open on weekends and the adventurous begin their ski excursions here. Those wishing to stay overnight are kindly requested to book in advance (www.capannapiansecco.ch).
Faster south thanks to New transalpine railwayWith the construction of the NRLA a fast and efficient rail link was created. The main axis is the Zurich-Milan railway section, which plays a very important role in the transit traffic between Germany and Italy. A milestone was the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016, which at 57 kilometers is the longest railway tunnel in the world. Thus Switzerland has written the history of transport, since by shortening the travel times it has reduced the distance to German-speaking Switzerland to a minimum. The transalpine railway was completed with the opening of the Ceneri base tunnel in December 2020. Since then a train journey from Zurich to Lugano takes less than 2 hours – Italian-speaking Switzerland has never been so close to the north.
1,471 kilometers of public transport in Ticino – Conveniently car-free
Ticino is divided by Monte Ceneri, the natural separation between the north and south of the canton. The Ceneri base tunnel, in operation since 2021, shortens the distances in regional traffic and brings the different areas of Ticino closer together. For example, the Ceneri base tunnel created a direct connection connecting Locarno with Lugano every hour in just 30 minutes. In addition, the canton is currently investing a total of CHF 461 million in expanding the public transport system, including the bus network, for better bus and train mobility within Ticino.
Free travel with the Ticino Ticket
With the Ticino Ticket, tourists can use public transport throughout Ticino for free during their stay. The offer is intended for guests staying overnight in hotels, youth hostels and campsites. For an overnight stay, you will receive this ticket free of charge upon arrival at the accommodation, valid until the end of the day of departure. A further advantage are the concessions for the entrances to the main tourist attractions, for the ski lifts and boats in the docks in Ticino. The Ticino Ticket is also valid for numerous cultural attractions in the region. About 30 museums are part of it, including the largest such as the LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura and the small museums of local history and culture in the valleys. Another novelty is the integration of 8 parks and botanical gardens, as well as attractions in the category of theatrical and musical events. ticino.ch/ticket
Gotthard train – Direct connection with Ticino from Zurich and Basel
Since the change of the train timetable in December 2020, with the Gotthard Train on the old Gotthard railway section, the Schweizerische Südostbahn AG (SOB) offers a direct connection to Ticino without transhipment. It departs every hour alternately from Basel or Zurich to Bellinzona and from 5 April 2021 it will continue to Lake Maggiore to Locarno. The new copper-colored Traverso trains are used – spectacular trains with 359 seats and large panoramic windows. The journey through the Gotthard tunnel, inaugurated in 1882, towards Airolo, the highest railway station in Switzerland at 1,141 meters above sea level, has a nostalgic and decelerating effect. Through the Leventina Valley, the route continues descending towards Bellinzona and through the Magadino plain to Lake Maggiore. With every kilometer to the south the air gets a little warmer, the mountain greener and the landscape passes from alpine coniferous forests to Mediterranean palm trees. An integral part of the Gotthard Train offer are the activities available along the route: the SOB, in fact, collaborates with tourist service providers along the railway section, whose offers can be booked on the railway website. In addition to the convenient purchase of the train ticket, travelers can also buy for example the entrance ticket for a museum or a ticket for the funicular. www.trenogottardo.ch
For other ideas, consult the online site: ticino.ch/experiences