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Best Mountain Hikes near Lugano

We track 49 routes that match this search near Lugano. They average 9.3 km and 888 m (2,913 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 33.0 km.

That is 26 percent of the 188 routes we map near Lugano. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 9.3 km against 6.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 888 m (2,913 ft) on average versus 450 m (1,476 ft) across the wider area.

Mountain routes trade effort for scale. Expect sustained climbing, quick weather changes and views that make the numbers worth it. The mix is broad: 1 are rated easy and 29 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Marcatura semi-permanente Scenic Trail eseguita con spray bianco a rapido degrado
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
23.6 km
/ 14.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,203 m
Typical duration
6 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Protected area dry Grasslands and Pastures of National Importance Monte San Giorgio.
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.3 km
/ 7.6 mi
Elevation gain
852 m
Typical duration
3 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Marcatura semi-permanente Scenic Trail eseguita con spray bianco a rapido degrado
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
18.0 km
/ 11.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,135 m
Typical duration
5 hr 33 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Ooswaartse uitsig vanaf Caviano in Switserland na Bisbinoberg, Italië
Expert

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
33.0 km
/ 20.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,580 m
Typical duration
9 hr 46 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Bell of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Alpe Foppa)
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
22.6 km
/ 14.0 mi
Elevation gain
827 m
Typical duration
6 hr 10 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Panorama from mount Gradiccioli, Switzerland
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
15.2 km
/ 9.4 mi
Elevation gain
513 m
Typical duration
3 hr 56 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Marcatura semi-permanente Scenic Trail eseguita con spray bianco a rapido degrado
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
10.4 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,185 m
Typical duration
3 hr 57 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Protected area dry Grasslands and Pastures of National Importance Monte San Giorgio.
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
11.3 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
887 m
Typical duration
3 hr 41 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Dove non è stato possibile mettere dei pali segnaletici ufficiali, sono stati posti dei paletti in alluminio anodizzato con marcatura bianco-rosso-bianco per permettere ai corridori di seguire senza difficoltà il percorso di Scenic Trail.
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,140 m
Typical duration
5 hr 10 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Gordevio
Hard

Gordevio - Capanna Alpe di Ními

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,591 m
Typical duration
3 hr 42 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Staudamm Selvatica im Verzascatal
Hard

02-Sentiero Verzasca

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
21.2 km
/ 13.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,429 m
Typical duration
6 hr 44 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Lenticolari
Moderate

Alpe Bardughè - Pizzo di Vogorno

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
777 m
Typical duration
1 hr 41 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos , near Gordevio, Ticino, Switzerland.
Hard

Gordevio - Ör

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
17.0 km
/ 10.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,726 m
Typical duration
6 hr 12 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Lenticolari
Hard

Lavertezzo Borgna

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
11.8 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,934 m
Typical duration
5 hr 22 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Vista sulla Val Leggia dal Pian di Asen
Hard

Leggia Ost rot

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
2,019 m
Typical duration
4 hr 44 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Field outside Gerra (Verzasca) in Ticino, Switzerland
Hard

Bivio Fromighera - ?

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,634 m
Typical duration
3 hr 33 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Bergstation der Luftseilbahn Orselina - Cardada von Mario Botta
Hard

Avegno Bassa di Cimetta

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,354 m
Typical duration
3 hr 21 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Ticino , views along the Verzasca river
Hard

Starlaresc Brione

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
7.2 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,658 m
Typical duration
4 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 45.
Hard

Camologno Pizzo Ruscade

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,163 m
Typical duration
2 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Pizzo di Ruscada in the Ticino, photographed from a balloon. The cross mark on the left mountain slope marks the landing place of the balloon.
Hard

Di Monte in Monte - Tappa 2

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.2 km
/ 10.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,118 m
Typical duration
5 hr 5 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Luftseilbahn Lumino - Monti Saurù
Hard

Lumino Monti Saurù

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,238 m
Typical duration
3 hr 3 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
West entrance of Dirinei tunnel.
Moderate

Sentiero Monte di Comino

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
7.0 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
284 m
Typical duration
1 hr 53 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Magadinoebene mit Ticino -Mündung in den Lago Maggiore
Hard

Via Eco - Cardad

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
907 m
Typical duration
2 hr 26 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Camorino, Switzerland
Moderate

Camerino-Isone

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
7.1 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
394 m
Typical duration
2 hr 5 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
de:Evangelisches Kirchgemeindezentrum Grono
Moderate

Colleta - ?

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
81 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Via Vallemaggia, Locarno. Monuments funéraires dans le cimetière de Locarno. L'église Santa Maria in Selva en arrière plan.
Moderate

Solduno S. Martino-Brè

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Ticino , impressions from Verzasca valley
Moderate

Alnasca - ?

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
7.4 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
376 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Monte Generoso 09/2008
Moderate

Sentiero del Monte Generoso

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
6.7 km
/ 4.2 mi
Elevation gain
487 m
Typical duration
2 hr 8 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Al Noos
Hard

Avegno Bassa di Cimetta

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,540 m
Typical duration
3 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Caslano, Tessin, Switzerland - Downtown. In the background Monte Lema (1621 m) and Poncione di Breno (1653 m)
Moderate

Caslano - Monte Caslano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
323 m
Typical duration
1 hr 7 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
SBB CFF FFS Re 420 209 at Bellinzona.
Moderate

Monte Juri-Monte di Artore

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
126 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Busen
Moderate

Lodrino-Alpe d,Alva

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
136 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Verscio Centro
Moderate

Streccia-Monte Zucchero

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
123 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Caslano, Tessin, Switzerland - Downtown. In the background Monte Lema (1621 m) and Poncione di Breno (1653 m)
Moderate

Giro/Tour Monte Caslano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
4.4 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
95 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard railway Bellinzona railway station Shunting of the special train «125 Years of Gotthardbahn» Map is out of date. Position and heading will be adapted, when actualized map is available. Lord Koxinga ( talk ) 16:31, 3 April 2013 (UTC
Moderate

Monte Juri-Monte di Daro

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
23 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Verscio Centro
Hard

17 - Salmone - Ponte Brolla

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
10.3 km
/ 6.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,687 m
Typical duration
4 hr 40 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
View from San Giovanni Batista Church, Comologno, Val Onsernone
Moderate

Di Monte in Monte - Tappa 1

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
731 m
Typical duration
2 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Luftseilbahn Lumino - Monti Saurù
Hard

Claro Saurù

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
4.4 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,032 m
Typical duration
2 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Trans Swiss TrailTicino23.6 km1,203 m6 hr 58 minHardApril to October
Trans Swiss TrailTicino12.3 km852 m3 hr 50 minHardApril to October
ViaGottardoTicino18.0 km1,135 m5 hr 33 minHardApril to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino33.0 km1,580 m9 hr 46 minExpertJune to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino22.6 km827 m6 hr 10 minHardJune to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino15.2 km513 m3 hr 56 minHardJune to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino10.4 km1,185 m3 hr 57 minHardJune to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino11.3 km887 m3 hr 41 minHardApril to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino16.4 km1,140 m5 hr 10 minHardJune to October
S06 Sant'Agata - Faierone - Monte LimidarioTicino9.4 km1,811 m4 hr 40 minHardJune to October

If you only have time for one, start with Trans Swiss Trail, ViaGottardo, Trans Swiss Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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