Ronco: Hiking, Alpine Pastures and Mountain Tours
Accommodation in Ronco
Ronco is one of four villages on the valley floor of the Bedretto Valley; the villages lie between 1,300 and 1,500 m above sea level. Hiking and mountain biking routes wind through alpine pastures around the village, while a ski tour starts right in Ronco. The BedrettoLab and the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio also offer their own points of interest. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Ronco, you can plan the focus of your stay around these different activities.
Hiking between Ronco and the Alpine Pastures
The Strada degli Alpi Bedretto is a 13 km trekking route between Airolo and Ronco, starting in PesciĂĽm. From Airolo, PesciĂĽm can be reached by cable car; its operation is seasonal. Check whether it is running before your trip and also take seasonal trail conditions into account. A notable point along the route is Alpe di Folcra at 1,921 m, its highest point.
The Strada degli Alpi della Val Bedretto passes numerous alpine pastures on its way to Ronco, including Alpeggio di Cristallina and Alpe di Valleggia. The section between Airolo-PesciĂĽm and Ronco runs at an altitude of 1,700 to 1,800 m. The landscape is defined by wild nature, colours and tranquillity. From the Cristallina alpine pasture at 1,800 m, you can see Pizzo Rotondo and Pizzo Lucendro.
If Alpeggio di Cristallina is open, you can visit the cellars and buy fresh cheese directly from the alpine herder. This combines tour planning with a specific insight into alpine life: visits to the cellars and cheese purchases depend on the pasture being open.
Getting around by Mountain Bike or PostBus
The Alpi-Bedretto-Bike route is 27 km long and passes through Ronco. Along the way, it crosses several alpine pastures and larch forests with blueberry bushes before reaching the village. In Ronco, the route meets the paved road that descends from Nufenen Pass to Airolo. For the return to Airolo, you can take the PostBus from Ronco. The two distance figures—13 km for the trekking route and 27 km for the mountain biking route—refer to different activities and can be factored into your own plans accordingly.
Mountain Tours with Varying Levels of Difficulty
The normal ski touring route to Pizzo Pesciora starts in Ronco at 1,487 m and has an elevation gain of 1,633 m. The ascent begins on a mule track behind the village and then leads to the glacier between Pizzo Pesciora and Pizzo Rotondo. Check current mountain and snow conditions before setting out. In the area around the municipality, a trail also leads from All’Acqua to Laghetto delle Pigne, passing the new Piansecco hut along the way.
BedrettoLab and Chiesa di Sant’Antonio
BedrettoLab is a geothermal rock laboratory operated by ETH Zurich in a former construction tunnel of the Furka Tunnel. Public guided tours introduce visitors to geological features and provide insight into geothermal research; check whether tours are available before your visit. The reception area is about 250 m from the Bivio Ronco stop. From Airolo, take bus 112 towards All’Acqua to the “Bedretto, Bivio per Ronco” stop. In summer, bus 111 towards Oberwald also goes there. Bus routes and timetables may change, so check your connection before travelling.
In Ronco, the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio is listed as an asset of local cultural significance. At the Ronco stop of Mangia e cammina sugli alpi, the food on offer includes communal meals featuring polenta and braised meat, cheese or milk. Musical entertainment and a children’s corner round out the programme; the menu and programme may vary with each edition.
Discover more destinations: Altanca
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