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Best Mountain Hikes near Lugano

The directory currently contains 47 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Lugano. Their average mapped distance is 9.5 km and average recorded ascent is 919 m (3,015 ft); the longest route in the set is 33.0 km.

This subset represents 38% of the 123 quality-checked routes near Lugano. Its average distance is 9.5 km, compared with 7.9 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 919 m (3,015 ft), versus 615 m (2,018 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 29 (62%) are rated hard or expert, and 3 (6%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

12.3 km

Trans Swiss Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

513 m

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

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
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
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
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
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
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
Ad ogni incrocio di sentiero ed ogni cambiamento importante di direzione, la marcatura permanente impedisce al corridore di potersi smarrire. Sul percorso di 54Km sono presenti circa 80 cartelli indicatori con il logo di Scenic Trail.
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
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
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
Vogorno
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Moderate

Colleta - ?

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
81 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Centovalli railway with new overhead lines between Ponte Brolla and S. Martino stations.
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
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
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
Blick zum Lago Maggiore während des Aufstieges zum Motto della Croce oberhalb von Bellinzona . Auf dem Bild geht der Blick vom schneebedeckten Monte Tamaro (Mitte links) über die Magadino Tiefebene bis zum Lago Maggiore und den Ausläufern d
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
Wanderwegweiser Riale di Lodrino 266, Riviera TI
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
Streccia
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
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
ponte sopra Riei
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
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
Mergoscia
Hard

Mergoscia-Madone

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
6.7 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,337 m
Typical duration
3 hr 23 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 TrailTicino12.3 km852 m3 hr 50 minHardApril to October
Trans Swiss TrailTicino23.6 km1,203 m6 hr 58 minHardApril to October
ViaGottardoTicino18.0 km1,135 m5 hr 33 minHardApril to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino22.6 km827 m6 hr 10 minHardJune to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino33.0 km1,580 m9 hr 46 minExpertJune 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

ViaGottardo, Trans Swiss Trail, Trans Swiss Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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