Ticino: Small Resorts With Sunny Slopes And Snowparks -
Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland and is almost entirely surrounding by Italy which explains why the official language is Italian. The area is largely covered by the Lepontine Alps with its snow-capped peaks and also features lush forests and the lakes of Maggoire and Lugano.
The mountainous area of Ticino is scattered with popular ski resorts, including Airolo, Bosco Gurin, Campo Blenio, Cardada-Cimetta, Cari, Monte Lema, and Nara. The two ski areas of Airolo - Pescium and Airolo Luina together make up the largest ski resort in the Ticino canton of Switzerland. It has a combined 30 kilometres of slopes and a maximum height of 2075 metres. Skiing in Airolo offers sunny slopes, good cross-country facilities, and pretty mountain villages. Pescium is larger than Luina and features a 910-metre vertical and snowpark.
Nara is another large ski area in the Ticino region. It is home to a five-kilometre toboggan run, a ski bar, a snowpark, and ski school. Skiers and snowboarders can access 30 kilometres of downhill skiing which is served by five lifts. Skiing here is suitable for all levels and reaches a maximum height of 2123 metres.
Bosco Gurin was the only German-speaking village in an otherwise Italian Ticino until recently, but by 2000, Italian was the language of the majority. It has long lifts to create a big vertical (920 metres) and sunny slopes. Skiers can reach a height of 2400 metres and then enjoy the three-kilometre run back down. Most of the slopes in Bosco Gurin are best suited to intermediates, but there is something for all levels as well as a snowpark for freestyle fans and a five-kilometre cross-country trail.
Campo Blenio is a small ski area above Ghirone with a good variety of easy, intermediate and difficult slopes with night skiing available. There is limited cross country terrain but a separate cross country ski area is nearby at Campra. Lifts are open for full days in the school holidays but close for lunch when the children are back at school.
It is possible to access the ski area of Cardada-Cimetta all the way from lakeside Locarno by the funicular, cable car and chair lift. Skiing here offers spectacular views of the lake and reaches a height of 1650 metres. There are five pistes, the longest of which is 1.8 kilometres. Traditional local cuisine is available at five mountain restaurants.
The sunny resort of Cari, at 1650 metres, offers 20 kilometres of pistes, including a giant slalom and Super G, as well as a slope for sledges and a three-kilometre winter walking trail. A popular eating place is the big panoramic terrace of the Osteria Belvedere restaurant at 2000 metres.
The modern cable car takes you from Miglieglia up to the small ski area of Monte Lema at 1624 metres. It offers panoramic views from the peak of the surrounding mountains of South Ticino, Lake Lugano on one side of the ridge and Lago Maggiore on the other.
For direct access to Ticino, catch a flight to Lugano Airport - the busiest airport in southern Switzerland, serving 200,000 passengers a year.
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