Balcony of Italy

One of the most beautiful places in Italy, elected "Place of the Heart" by the FAI, is the flagship of the Intelvi Valley.

The Sighignola is a mountain of Lombardy Luganesi that extends between the territory of the Italian town of Lanzo d'Intelvi and the Swiss among the counties of Arogno and Lugano. Lanzo begins to reach the highest peak: the road is very windy and completely surrounded by woods. The balcony of Italy can only be reached by car from the Italian side.

Just before you reach the summit you will come upon a launch area for gliding and hiking trails that vary according to difficulty. The buildings and infrastructure of Sighignola and the entire surrounding area date back to the period before the First World War, because the area was of ​​strategic interest for defense systems, known as the "Cadorna Line" with the main purpose of defending the Italian border from a possible attack from the Swiss Confederation. At the end of the road there is a small chapel in memory of the soldiers who had fallen during the First World War and a panoramic terrace.

The rooftop terrace (1320m) offers a spectacular view of Lake Lugano and the surrounding area and has been called "the balcony of Italy": in fact, on a sunny day you can see almost all of Lake Lugano and the mountains, some over 4000 m high, forming the Alpine range, including Monte Rosa and the famed Matterhorn. Newly built, is a terrace in Swiss territory, with children's playground, a barbecue area and benches to admire the beautiful view.

For sports enthusiasts and lovers of hiking there are several paths to choose from. For example one of the most popular routes starts from Lanzo d'Intelvi and connects Mount Caprino to Sighignola, along which you can enjoy a magnificent view of Lake Lugano, the city of Lugano and the nearby mountains such as Monte Bre and San Salvatore . Along the way, you can stop at typical restaurants of Ticino.