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Between Lake Lugano and Lake Como, on the border with Switzerland, there are Monte Generoso and Valle D’Intelvi (ZPS). There are several trails that run across among flowery pastures, following the remains of military structures and shelters dating back to the Great War.

Especially on its north-western face, Monte Generoso (5.590 ft.) features peaks, rock spurs and thick woods of beeches (Fagus selvatica), and (Quercus petraea) all the way up to a certain altitude. The other face, however, shows sweeter features with herbaceous plants that bless the mountain with colour in spring and summer. From the summit, known as Punta Càdola, it is possible to enjoy the 360° view of the Alps and the surrounding plains. Thanks to a cog railway, visitors (also differently-abled ones) can reach the top of the mountain in some 40 minutes. The railway station is in Capolago, Switzerland, at an altitude of 899 ft. Getting off at Bellavista intermediate station, allows visitors to follow a nature trail disseminated with a wealth of information about the local flora and fauna.

Another trail starts in Mendrisio and it’s quite a pleasant one, although many more challenging routes can be easily found on the same side of the mountain.

The Alpe di Orimento, the Generosa cave and the astronomical observatory are must-see places for any visitor in this area. Inside the Generosa cave, found on the eastern face of the mountain,
There are some ruins of a Neanderthal settlement, along with the remains of animals like moose, marmots or cave bears.

THE ITINERARIES

There are three main itineraries. The first one takes visitors to the “Museo dello Stucco e della Scagliola” (Museum of fine plaster) in Cerano. “Scagliola”, which means “chips”, was born in XVI century to mimic precious stones and is still used as fine plaster in architecture and sculptures.
The second itinerary starts in Osteno and ends in Lanzo, going through several villages.
The third itinerary begins in Pigra and ends in Casasco, going past Blessagno and San Fedele.
In addition, to meet the needs of mountaineering schools, as well as the national alpine and speleological rescue corps, a training wall surrounded by greenery was created for at the municipal sports centre in Laino.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)