On the road to the Collina d’Oro

...discovering various points of interest between San Salvatore and Figino and then going to the other side of the peninsula crossing the equally fascinating Collina d'Oro.

San Salvatore – Carona

A proposal that allows you to reach the southern side of this intriguing and varied peninsula, at the foot of Mount Tamaro, but on the opposite side of the city. You initially descend from the summit along a path that winds pleasantly through the woods.

The intermediate stage at Ciona has a grotto and there is a postbus stop here, which connects Lugano and Carona. From here a gravel road through the woods leads to the characteristic Carona, whose centre has an intact charm.

Carona – San Grato Park – Carona

Just a 15 minute walk from Carona there is the possibility to visit the scenic San Grato Park with its many attractions, all in all an extra hour's hike worth doing.

Carona – Figino

Retrace your steps back towards Carona where, at the swimming pool, you take a dirt road to Torello. Before arriving in this place characterized by the Church of S.Maria Assunta of Torello, with a splendid view of the lake, which was originally part of the adjacent Augustinian monastery suppressed in 1'389, you pass by the Sanctuary of the Madonna d'Ongero that offers a panoramic view of Collina d'Oro. From Torello you continue along the steepest section to Figino.

With a surface area of 56,300 m², the Pian Càsoro - situated between Figino and the village of Càsoro - is a recreational area on the lakeshore, ideal for bathing and recreation and much appreciated by the public. The Pian Càsoro is a protected area. The mouth represents a special natural environment. There is a biotope registered in the inventory of amphibian reproduction sites and protected at federal level. Many species of frogs and toads, some of which are endangered, live and reproduce in the pond.

Figino – Montagnola

Start again towards Collina d'Oro by climbing up the path that winds through the woods and after having reached the panoramic point above Barbengo, continue towards Montagnola, still immersed in the woods on a path with little difference in height. Montagnola is home to the Hermann Hesse Museum and a thematic path dedicated to him. From here the path descends towards the idyllic Muzzano lake, where there is a stop for the train in the direction of Lugano or Ponte Tresa.