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Hard Hiking Trails near Cantù

There are 7 hikes near Cantù in our database that fit. They average 17.1 km and 658 m (2,159 ft) of ascent.

That is 47 percent of the 15 routes we map near Cantù. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 17.1 km against 12.9 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 658 m (2,159 ft) on average versus 428 m (1,404 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

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
Carona, Casa Bernasconi, arch. Luigi Snozzi 1989-90
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.7 km
/ 8.5 mi
Elevation gain
881 m
Typical duration
4 hr 11 min
  • Waymarked route
Carona, Casa Bernasconi, arch. Luigi Snozzi 1989-90
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.5 mi
Elevation gain
870 m
Typical duration
4 hr 8 min
  • Waymarked route
Meride village in Mendrisio.
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
546 m
Typical duration
3 hr 39 min
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
33.0 km
/ 20.5 mi
Elevation gain
725 m
Typical duration
8 hr 29 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.9 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
372 m
Typical duration
4 hr 8 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
361 m
Typical duration
4 hr
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Cattle Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
20.3 km
/ 12.6 mi
Elevation gain
447 m
Typical duration
5 hr 4 min
  • 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 TrailTicino13.7 km881 m4 hr 11 minHardApril to October
ViaGottardoTicino13.6 km870 m4 hr 8 minHardApril to October
ViaGottardoTicino13.6 km546 m3 hr 39 minHardApril to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino33.0 km725 m8 hr 29 minExpertApril to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino16.9 km372 m4 hr 8 minHardApril to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino16.4 km361 m4 hrHardApril to October
Monte Bisbino-Monte GenerosoTicino26.3 km579 m6 hr 41 minHardApril to October
Cattle TrailTicino20.3 km447 m5 hr 4 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Trans Swiss Trail, Trans Swiss Trail, ViaGottardo. 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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