Vicania Mountain Bike Tour in Lugano

The Vicania Bike Nr. 351 is an official Swiss mountain bike route that takes you on a circular tour across the peninsula south of Lugano. The starting point is Pazzallo in the Paradiso district. Within just a few pedal strokes along the singletrack towards Carabbia, the city vanishes and you find yourself in the forest — surprisingly peaceful for a ride that begins so close to urban Lugano. The route runs almost entirely on unpaved paths and gravel tracks and is signposted in one direction only: Pazzallo – Carabbia – Torello – Carona – Pazzallo.

From Torello via Alpe Vicania to Carona

The route first leads through varied woodland to Torello, a clearing with the atmospheric ruins of a monastery abandoned in the 14th century, a small church and an old farmhouse. It continues to the pilgrimage church Madonna d'Ongero with its Way of the Cross and up to Alpe Vicania at roughly 660 metres — a nature reserve with 14 hectares of dry meadows and a seasonally open restaurant with a panoramic terrace. From various points along the route, you enjoy splendid views of Lake Lugano, Monte San Giorgio and Monte Generoso.

Botanical Garden and Carona

Shortly before Carona, you reach the Parco botanico San Grato, a botanical garden with themed paths, a diverse plant collection and a restaurant. The village of Carona itself sits at 602 metres between Monte San Salvatore and Monte Arbostora and is well worth a stop for its stone village centre, the parish church of San Giorgio and its idyllic outdoor swimming pool. From Carona, the ride descends smoothly back to Pazzallo.

On the Alpe Vicania, a seasonally open restaurant serves regional dishes on a terrace with lake views — an ideal midway stop. At the Parco botanico San Grato shortly before Carona, a further restaurant sits amid the garden grounds. In Carona itself, restaurants and cafés await in the village centre.

The contrast alone makes this tour special: within a few pedal strokes, you leave the city life of Lugano behind and plunge into a quiet, forested peninsula that feels like another world. The ruins of the Torello monastery in their forest clearing have an enchanted quality that invites you to pause. On the Alpe Vicania, the landscape opens up to wide meadows with panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. The San Grato botanical garden with its colours, scents and themed paths is an experience even for non-botanists. And anyone fancying a dip along the way will find the perfect opportunity at the idyllic outdoor pool in Carona.

Those wanting to shorten the tour can take the bus from Carona back to Lugano. The route is also well suited to an e-bike — the climbs are moderate, though the unpaved sections benefit from an off-road model. More ambitious riders can extend the tour with a climb to Monte San Salvatore or Monte Arbostora.

By Car

There are several parking options available in town.

By Public Transportation

There are several bus stops right in town, served by a wide variety of bus routes.