The Mendrisiotto and Lower Ceresio is a small triangular shaped region which borders
Italy in the south and is a short distance from Lugano, Lake Maggiore, Como and the tourist and industrial centers of northern
Italy.
With the development of communications this small region, at the gateway to Switzerland, has become an important
point of transit for an increasing volume of commercial and tourist traffic. A sign of this evolution is the development in
the small industries sector, particularly around Chiasso, Balerna and Stabio, where numerous industrial plants have sprung
up, in many cases to the detriment of the typically rural landscape.
Once away from the motorway and the big towns,
however, the visitor will soon find many pleasant spots in which to stop for a while and better acquaint oneself with this
delightful, sunny region. The almost unspoiled Muggio Valley for example, with its villages clinging to the steep mountain
sides; the pleasant and inviting region of San Giorgio, or the lakeside villages which have maintained some of the primitive
appearance of the old fishing villages.
Tourism is a deeply rooted tradition here. Monte Generoso has attracted tourists since 1867 when Doctor Carlo Pasta opened
the Hotel Bellavista. At that time there were already numerous visitors to Monte Generoso, drawn there by its imposing beauty
and by the quiet simplicity of the villages at its foot, clustered around their church bell-towers. The varied, luxuriant
landscape, a real feast for the eyes, was an open invitation to walkers and excursionists. Today the paths of Generoso,
reached by rack-railway from Capolago, of San Giorgio, linked to the lake by cable car from Serpiano, or of Bisbino, still
provide the visitor with ample opportunities to discover the peace and beauty of the more unspoiled parts of this region,
far from the noise and bustle of modern civilization. Along these paths there are many points where the walker can stop and
admire beautiful panoramic views of the whole region spread out below like a multi-colored patchwork. Taking a walk
through geological history (this description is based on a report by Christina Leutwyler in the tages-anzeiger, 9/24/01) If you didn't
know about the Gole della Breggia, you would never expect to find a natural monument here. You've driven down the A2 highway,
taken the Chiasso exit, passed by the Centro Breggia mall, parking lots, a canalized stream...and there it is, signs for the
Parco delle Gole della Breggia. For several kilometers, the Breggia has cut through the landscape, exposing strata that document 80 million years of
geological history. Layers of light-colored limestone adjoin startlingly red formations.
The Parco delle Gole della Breggia, which encompasses about a square kilometer,
is Switzerland's second geopark (the other is Geopark Sarganserland-Walensee-Glanerland). The plan is to develop a network
of trails through the park with information about the geological formations one encounters along the way.
The best
view of the Gole della Breggia is from the new wooden bridge Ponte del Faruegin, which crosses the stream's gorge at its narrowest
point. It sways with every step, 35 meters above where the stream becomes a waterfall.
Since the park also is home to endangered plant and animal species, the
park authorities want to minimize disruption to the habitat.
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