V.1    Section Morcote - Lugano   14,2 km

Morcote

Lugano                        14,2 km

Yesterday I had an all day train ride from Hamburg to Lugano. We reached Basel late and the connecting train had already left. I had to get a new connecting train. This was a train to Zurich and this train arrived late too. Again I missed the connection. Luckily there is a train once every hour. Due to my delays the conductor allowed me to ride first class. And I got served a free tee. We had a nice conversation during the ride. The ride went through the new Gotthard Basis tunnel. We were for 20 minutes in the dark. In total I arrived two hours later than planned. I took the bus to the camp ground in Cureglia which is a suburb of Lugano. I planned to stay for two days.

 

The first hiking day started with a bus ride to Morcote. The final part of the ride along the banks of Lake Lugano was on a narrow road inside an almost empty bus. It was great weather with blue sky and actually too warm for hiking. But the temperatures made it clear it was July and I was south of the Alps in Mediterranean climate.

 

IIn Morcote I walked to the ferry terminal to look across Lake Lugano to Ceresita. There in the Italian side the E1 continues south. From the lake shore I slowly climbed endless steps up the hill. I got quite sweaty. There are nice views from the trail again and again. Here I met a hiker who had come in 82 days all the way from Flensburg. Only a few kilometers separated him from the end in Switzerland. I encountered groups of school kids. Passing through the town of Carona I arrived on top of Monte Salvatore. From Lugano a cable railway comes up the mountain. The ride down the mountain was to cost 20 Swiss Francs. Rather expensive as there is a trail down the slopes. It was a long way down.

 

In Lugano I walked along the lake shore and took a seat on one of the many benches to enjoy the view. Then I used the bus again to take me back to the camp ground. Following a nice shower I had a good pizza. Tomorrow was to become a long hiking day. So I went to bed early.

 

View from Morcote across Lake Lugano to Ceresio / Italy. There the Italian part of E1 starts.

Start of E1 in Morcote. Many steps lead to the top.

While ascending from Morcote there where many nice views of Lake Lugano

View of Carona, Monte Salvatore and Lugano with lake

Church in Carona directly adjacent of E1

View of Lugano with lake and in the background the Alps

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