Verzasca Valley

The Verzasca valley north of Locarno is famous for the exceptionally clear, emerald-green water of the river Verzasca. Its landmark is the double-arched stone bridge Ponte dei Salti at Lavertezzo, often called the Roman bridge. At the valley exit, the 220 m high Verzasca dam holds back the lake, known for the bungee jump of the James Bond opening of GoldenEye.

Highlights

• Crystal-clear, emerald-green river water
• Ponte dei Salti, the double-arched stone bridge at Lavertezzo
• Verzasca dam (220 m), the Bond bungee backdrop
• Stone mountain villages such as Sonogno

Good to know

Practical info

Background & History

In Ticino, the sunny southern side of the Swiss Alps, the Verzasca Valley cuts down from the mountains to Lake Maggiore. It is famous above all for its river, whose water flows in such a clear, emerald-green tone through smoothly polished granite rocks that divers have declared it one of the purest waters in Europe. At Lavertezzo the elegant double-arched stone bridge Ponte dei Salti spans the river, popularly known as the “Roman Bridge”, even though it dates from the 17th century.

The valley belongs to the Lepontine Alpine region, a world of crystalline primary rock in which Ticino unfolds its own, almost Mediterranean character. For centuries the mountain farmers lived in stone villages, whose typical rustici with their heavy stone roofs still shape the scene today. The valley gained fame far beyond Switzerland through the mighty Verzasca dam, from whose crown a bungee jump was dared in a famous film moment. For centuries the valley was so poor that many of its inhabitants had to seek their living far away as seasonal workers or even emigrants, and an old, submerged village now rests on the bed of the reservoir. The Verzasca Valley thus combines original mountain culture, radiant nature and a touch of cinematic legend into one of the most striking valleys of Ticino.