In Search of Dessert

A four-day holiday at Easter meant one thing: Road Trip! We wanted to spend the holiday relaxing under "un grand beau,” as they say in French, meaning a bright, sunny day. We wanted a whole weekend of that, relaxing, polishing off our latest books under a palm tree and getting a little sunburnt while eating Gelato. Amazingly, these desires, (I mean real gelato) are possible, even with the time constraint, within the border of Switzerland. So, we chose Ticino, the Italian Canton, and looked forward to soaking in the sun, the sound of Italian language flitting past our ears, and basically vegging out. I’m not going to sugar-coat it: That’s not what we got . Don’t be alarmed, the trip was not negative. Quite the contrary. True, we did not achieve that fantasy of relaxing in solitude among the palm fronds for days. Nor did we even hear much Italian. Yet, we discovered really wonderful things, by keeping an open mind, and in the end, I was impressed by Ticino, perhaps more so than if I’d found it the way I’d imagined.

Had we not called only one week in advance, perhaps we would’ve been able to afford a hotel. However, we couldn’t afford Easter prices and so we were driven to making numerous phone calls and internet searches. Lucky for us.  We finally found a hostel, called Baracca Backpacker , which turned out to be wonderful. We had free use of the kitchen and stove and the setting was idyllic. The church is from 1761, with frescoes by Vanoni. The building was decorated with a beautiful, bold blue, was across the one-lane dirt road. Plus, if you stay there, you can tell your friends that you stayed in the smallest hostel in Switzerland! The hostel is in Valley Maggia, towards the beginning, in the village of Aurigeno. The villages tend to look alike, which is on purpose, but then it’s important to keep an eye out for signs. From Aurigeno it is only a fifteen minute drive to Locarno and Ascona.

Valley Maggia (and V. Verzasca next door) are full of hikers and enthusiasts profiting from the rugged mountains. You can mountain climb, trek, bridge jump (even bungy jump!), or begin hiking into the more than 700 km of trails. However, as mentioned earlier, we were looking for relaxation and gelato, so we headed straight for Lugano. I’d only seen photos of the town, but the water was blue, the streets were empty and the scene was calm. When we arrived, we found something else entirely.

I can’t say that I didn’t like the town, meaning the architecture and layout. I just didn’t get to see it. Instead, I was absorbed in trying to make my way through the throngs of tourists pushing through the narrow streets which were lined with vendors’ tables. I tried to look up, get a glimpse of the buildings, but inevitably I ran into someone. Easter Weekend, while relatively calm in other parts of Switzerland, may be one of the busiest of the year in Ticino.  Whatever my complaints, there were many wonderful sights at eye level, as the vendors and musicians were out to please the crowds, and locals were settled into a game of chess.

We attempted the boardwalk, but the crowds were even more intense.  Some people might come to Lugano precisely for this, however, if you’re in need of something quieter, I suggest you drive to Morcote, which is a just around the Ceresio peninsula. In Morcote – the name coming from the Roman heritage of the area- there is a small staircase that leads up into the impressive Scherrer park, and eventually to the  chapel of St. Antonio and the Church of Santa Maria del Sasso, nestled among the palm trees, high on the hill. 

The church was founded in the 13th century on a panoramic terrace and contains renaissance frescoes. Near the church, there is the a famous cemetery. It is absolutely beautiful. From above, you can see clearly across the lake, as well as the intricate streets and rooftops of Morcote below, and you will have found a moment of solitude as well, you just had to climb 400 steps it. Once you’ve had your fill of the sunset, walk back down and take your appetite out to dinner.

Typical Ticinese food derives from the specifically PreAlpine geography. That may come as a surprise to your pallet, since you associate Ticino with the lakes. At least I did. Added to the Alpine recipes, however, is a strong Italian influence, and the usage of local Ticino products. Often I hear restaurants boast of “local produce,” and I have trouble believing it. Once you see the geography of Ticino, you will believe that local produce is important, and that should enhance your meal. Pre-Alpine mountains don’t yet have large spaces for grazing cows. Meat, then, is not truly typical, but game is. Most typical menus will features items of game, and also horse. You will certainly find Polenta, Porcini (Bolet) mushrooms, and many variations with chestnuts. Additionally, you’ll most likely have the option of “fromaggini” – small rounds of cheese -and a short dessert list: Torta della Nonna, Tirimisu and Gelato

There are restaurants in Locarno and Lugano that have been awarded top rankings. If you have the money for these, it’s worth the experience. Beyond that, for dinner, I suggest you forget Lugano, for reasons mentioned above, and for prices. I’m not suggesting that you forgo Ticinese cuisine. Instead, I’m suggesting that you search for the real thing.Between Lugano, and Agno, there are many hills with small neighborhood streets and non-advertised, local restaurants waiting to be discovered. Keep your eyes trained on these streets, looking for signs. Do you see a sign for “Grotta,” which means a typical, small restaurant? Follow it. We ate at Grotta Tinghi, which serves truly “mountain” food; there is not a single vegetable on the menu. For 80 Swiss Francs, we had ½ bottle of local Merlot; a mixed salad of beans and tuna; a plate of assorted local cold meats including the famous Mortadella; Tortellini in Sage Butter; a platter of creamy Polenta, sautéed Porcini mushrooms and crispy rabbit; and two Italian espressos. Don’t be surprised when you find two porcelain cups with your meal. They are for drinking the Merlot.

Perhaps one way to avoid the crowds is to go early, and that’s what we did Saturday morning. Ascona’s boardwalk is car-free, except for the random Ferrari that glides through. At 8 a.m. there are only a handful of people out walking their dogs, the terraces are empty and the water is calm. You can see the old men out on the boats, preparing them for the day, or find children playing in the docked paddle boats that will later be paddled around the lake.  Find the Poncini Pasticceria for pastries in the morning for a real treat, and take your pastries down to the lake. When you’re finished, things will have livened up and you can start wandering the streets, and browsing (or window-shopping, like us) the couture stores.

The lake is beautiful, but the mountains tug on you. We succumbed, and left the lake to drive the entire length of Valley Verzasca, which took about two hours, including pit-stops. Osteria Da Andre, in Vogorno is a great place to climb up into and have a coffee, if you can get your car in the parking lot.  Also, be prepared to have cyclists in front and behind you. Generally they keep a fast pace, and are aware of the cars, but be careful nonetheless because almost certainly you will be paying more attention to the fickle river, which oscillates between being flat in some places and then gushing down into an unexpected, deep gorge. The water is an impressive Jade green, and a great, but crowded place to watch it is in Lavertezzo, at the double arched bridge: Ponte della Schiena. You might also stop at the huge dam, which you can walk over.  James Bond, alias Pierce Brosnan,  made his famous Bungee-Jump in “Goldeneye” at this dam, so it’s very popular.

Across the valley you might spot a tiny village nestled in the hillside. It’s called Cripollo. You can walk up to it and explore the teeny foot-paths between the homes. This is one of the most poignant examples of the mixture between modern and ancient architecture in Ticino. The rooftops, though surely re-done, are original in form, and identical to the neighbors. Meanwhile, the doors, windows, and name plates are modern and even fancy materials. Visiting Cripollo, even with the fancy name plates, is like stepping backwards into time. People live there today, so it’s best not to pry too long, but only long enough to realize how life might be living in this location, compared to your own.

Locarno is situated at the foot of the valley, so we stopped there next. It is a calmer version of Lugano.  We started on the very edge of town and walked the edge of the lake, perusing the antiques spread on blankets. You will love this area, because the flowers are immaculate. Here it was possible to have a nap, lying on a bench among tulips, although it was a fitful nap due to the wafting smells of sausages, and the sounds of Italian Accordians.

It’s wise to brush up on Italian, or pick up a phrase book before going, for the street signs and the menus. However, don’t expect to be spoken to in Italian upon arriving. In fact, leave the Italian phrase-book and pick up a German one, since that is the predominant language. Most people will speak both, but don’t be surprised to encounter people who only speak German serving you your Gelato.

Sunday it was time to pack up and go home. We couldn’t resist another pastry and moment of calm in Ascona, before heading north. Bellinzona, on the valley floor of the Sopraceneri region, is only a half hour from Locarno. Many people won’t stop there. Even my Swiss boyfriend said “there’s nothing there.” That is absurd: This little town is a gem. It’s easily navigable, with cute shops and a large piazza that receives full sun and is covered in tables like the Piazzas in Rome. There are fantastic facades and medieval churches. However, the main attraction is the complex of three castles which are on rocky hills looking over the city. The 13th century Castelgrande by Galfetti is actually considered unique architecture for the time period, due to the open minds of local authorities that allowed interesting design ideas. It is free to visit, and there’s even a lift for handicapped people.

Reflecting on the weekend, there was a lot of time spent in the car, and not very much time spent relaxing. Perhaps a weekend was too short, and we’d need that just to get our bearings, to find the perfect rock to perch on for the rest of the week. The geography was much more rugged and intricate than I’d imagined. (The "flat area" is the lake) However, I found that the amazing stone villages, the mixtures of languages and the truly local cuisine, among a few other oddities that we saw, really made this a fantastic trip. I realized that Ticino, which is already quite distinct, has two distinct personalities: lakeside and valley. There are those who will gravitate towards the lake, the terraces and the people -watching, and then there are those who will head straight for the valleys, the quirky river and the rugged air. Neither will be disappointed. And, in defense of all the information on the web, Ticino boasts 2,300 hours of sun per year, and lives up to its claims.

P.S. A couple suggestions for "excursions" that I missed, but would want to do when returning:

~Take an old steam train for 1.5 hours along the Centovalli panoramic route, passing steep ravines and gushing waterfalls between Ticino and the Italian Border.
~Visit the Botanical Gardens on Isole di Brissago thrive due to Ticino’s microclimate. There are more than 1500 species of plants from around the world. It has only been a public garden since circa 1960, before that the islands were private residences! (Open daily from 9 to 6)
~Take the Funicular from Locarno to Orselina. Then take the cable car designed by Mario Botta to Cardada. From there you have access to hiking paths and a chairlift even higher!
~Follow the Arosio Chestnut Trail. 5 hour round-trip, including trip to a church with chestnut doors, and the small homes where chestnuts are dried. Top that with chestnut ice cream or chestnut beer.