Centovalli

Orientation

Centovalli—literally “hundred valleys”—is the Swiss valley of the Melezza River between Intragna and Camedo, close to the Italian border. The name refers to its many branching side valleys rather than a settlement. The wider municipality gathers small hamlets including Intragna, Verdasio, Palagnedra, Borgnone and Camedo.

This is not a high-pass landscape. Its character is ravines, wooded slopes, streams and villages set above the valley floor. Most travellers arrive from Locarno, then use the railway as the valley’s main spine.

Ride the Centovalli Railway

The narrow-gauge Vigezzina–Centovalli Railway links Locarno with Domodossola in Italy. The complete 52km journey takes just under two hours and crosses 83 bridges and viaducts while passing through 31 tunnels. Centovalli is the Swiss section; beyond Camedo, the line continues through Italy’s Valle Vigezzo.

For the valley itself, use the stops as access points rather than treating the train as a sealed sightseeing ride:

• Intragna: the gateway to Centovalli and the strongest stop for village streets, regional history and the viaduct.
• Verdasio: useful for reaching the upper slopes and Monte Comino cable car.
• Palagnedra and Borgnone-Cadanza: quiet stations for the central valley and nearby hamlets.
• Camedo: the final Swiss stop, immediately before the border.

Regular trains serve the line; a seat reservation is optional on the international service and carries a surcharge. Carry valid travel documents if continuing into Italy. There is no catering on board, so bring water and food for a full through journey.

Intragna and the valley’s built landmarks

Make Intragna the first stop if you want the clearest introduction to the valley. It stands on a rocky spur near the confluence of the Isorno and Melezza rivers. Its lanes, stone houses and historic buildings are compact enough to explore on foot.

The bell tower of San Gottardo Church is Ticino’s highest church tower: 65 metres, with 165 steps to its viewing platform. The Regional Museum of Centovalli and Pedemonte, near the piazza, covers local life and traditions.

Below the village, the railway crosses the Isorno on an 80-metre-high viaduct. It is the valley’s defining piece of infrastructure and a better visual anchor than a generic mountain panorama. The older Ponte Romano at the former Intragna–Remagliasco mule track is another notable river crossing.

Walking and timing

Centovalli works best as a train-and-walk destination. Choose one station, walk a marked local route or explore a hamlet, then return by rail rather than trying to cover the whole valley by road. The municipality also has cable-car links into higher settlements; Rasa is car-free and reached from Verdasio by cable car or on foot.

Spring brings fuller streams and fresh forest growth. Autumn is the strongest period for chestnut and broadleaf colour, often lasting into mid-November in this part of Ticino. In wet weather, keep plans rail-based: steep paths and gorge-side terrain can be slippery.

Useful approach

Start at Locarno’s FART station, next to the main railway station, for the simplest connection from the Swiss network. A one-way ride to Intragna is short; allow more time if you plan to climb the tower, visit the museum and walk to the bridges.

For a cross-border day, ride through to Domodossola, but build in time for the return journey and use a ticket that permits your intended stops. The railway is a working local line as well as the most efficient way to see Centovalli.