At Lago Ritom, an impressive mountain landscape meets a long history of hydropower. To help you plan, Quinto Ti offers a range of trails with published distances and estimated times, as well as insights into distinctive lakes, alpine cheese and historic buildings.
Lago Ritom and the Landscape of Val Piora
Lago Ritom covers 1.49 square kilometres and is the largest mountain lake in the Canton of Ticino. Since the first dam was built in 1917, its water has been used to generate hydropower. Val Piora extends for more than eight kilometres and lies at an altitude of around 1,800 to 2,000 metres above sea level. These figures give the landscape a clear sense of scale when planning hikes and nature watching.
One of the distinctive features of Lago di Cadagno is its structure: two different lakes lie one above the other. A bacterial layer turns one of the bodies of water red; its thickness varies between 70 and 150 centimetres over the course of the year. This makes Cadagno a remarkable destination for anyone interested in the natural processes taking place in mountain lakes.
Hiking Trails and Planning Your Time
Quinto and the Leventina have an extensive network of hiking trails. The educational trail at Lago Ritom is listed as 11 kilometres long, with 485 metres of elevation gain and an estimated duration of three hours. Information panels along the way explain what makes the area special. The Three Lakes Trail between Ritom, Tom and Cadagno covers 12 kilometres, with 780 metres of elevation gain and an estimated duration of four hours and 30 minutes. Compared with the educational trail, that is one kilometre and 295 metres more elevation gain, as well as around 90 minutes of additional estimated walking time. This allows you to compare the time required and elevation gain directly.
For a longer trip, the Lago Ritom–Passo del San Gottardo trekking route is described as 16.8 kilometres long, with an estimated duration of six hours. Another option is the walk to Alpe e Lago Tom, which leads to a small lake with a white sandy beach. Marmots can be spotted along the trail. Mountain bike routes also include Route 65 Gottardo Bike and the Andermatt–Lago Ritom, Lago Ritom–Olivone and Olivone–Biasca connections.
The Funicular and the History of Hydropower
The Funicolare del Ritom was built in 1917 to transport people and materials during construction of the Ritom dam and the SBB hydroelectric power station; it opened to the public in 1921. The ride takes around twelve minutes and offers views of the valley, the Alta Leventina and the surrounding mountains. With a maximum gradient of 87.8 percent, it is one of the steepest funicular railways in the world authorised for public transport. As services may vary seasonally, check the timetable before your trip.
The Centrale FFS Ritom also brings together engineering and architectural history: it is housed in a historic building dating from 1921 and has four Pelton turbines. Groups can learn about the hydroelectric power station on a guided tour; arrangements must be made in advance.
Churches, Oratories and Local Architecture
The parish church of Saints Peter and Paul was founded in the early Middle Ages and has been documented since 1227. It preserves a carved and painted wooden altar from the late 17th century, a work by Paolo Pisoni of Ascona and Carlo Zezio of Lugano. The church also retains its Romanesque bell tower and several sculptures in the exterior walls, as well as a wooden statue of the Madonna dating from the 16th century.
The Oratorio San Carlo stands on a rise between Lago Cadagno and the Lago Ritom basin. It was built in 1618 for religious reasons and serves as a landmark for hikers. The original building had a square floor plan, a plank ceiling, a vaulted choir and two wall altars. Paintings from five different periods came to light during restorations at the Oratorio di San Martino; the statues of the Madonna and Saint Martin are examples of rustic art from the 17th century. Typical wooden houses of the Gotthard region can be found in all the districts of Quinto.
Piora: Alpine Cheese and Insights into Nature
Alpe Piora covers 3,500 hectares, including more than 1,000 hectares of productive pastures. The alpine dairy includes an ageing cellar and produces around 3,000 wheels of Piora alpine cheese each year; production volumes may change. Prosciutto dell’Alpe Piora is aged at more than 2,000 metres above sea level. These products add an insight into local production to the nature and cultural experiences.
In addition to university courses, the Centro Biologia Alpina di Piora caters to other school levels and a wider audience; its activities include nature study stays, laboratory work, workshops and conferences. A guided visit on the microbiological trail around Lago Cadagno includes a level path and an explanatory visit to the CBA lasting around two hours. The listed price is CHF 200; the tour depends on staff availability. Check opening arrangements and availability in advance.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Ronco, Altanca, Dalpe, Sobrio, Faido, Lavorgo, Prato, Anzonico.
For the main travel overview: Leventina.
