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Best Alpine Meadow Hikes near Lugano

10 routes near Lugano qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 4.9 km and 446 m (1,463 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 10.1 km.

That is 20 percent of the 50 routes we map near Lugano. They are shorter than the local average, 4.9 km against 12.0 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day.

High pasture walking sits above the treeline, at its best in early summer when the meadows are in flower. The mix is broad: 5 are rated easy and 2 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Easy

Alpe di Melano-Bellavista

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
46 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Alpe Naccio - Termine

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
57 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Citto-Alpe d,Alva

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
877 m
Typical duration
2 hr 17 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Cordonico-Alpe Cardada

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
477 m
Typical duration
1 hr 13 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Corte Nuovo - Alpe Bardughè

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Lodrino-Alpe d,Alva

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,376 m
Typical duration
3 hr 9 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Monti di Lego-Alpe Cardada

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
4.0 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
425 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Odro - Alpe Bardughè

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
40 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
02 - Capanna Nimi- Rifugio Alpe MasneeTicino4.5 km720 m2 hr 1 minModerateApril to October
03 - Rifugio Alpe Masnee - Capanna Alpe SplugaTicino9.9 km990 m3 hr 33 minHardApril to October
16 - Capanna Alpe di Canaa - SalmoneTicino10.1 km840 m3 hr 22 minModerateApril to October
Alpe Bardughè - Pizzo di VogornoTicino2.5 km55 m36 minEasyApril to October
Alpe Cardada - Cardada ColmanicchioTicino1.5 km33 m22 minEasyApril to October
Alpe d,Alva-Capanna Alpe FümegnaTicino6.6 km1,070 m2 hr 59 minHardApril to October
Alpe di Melano-BellavistaTicino2.1 km46 m30 minEasyApril to October
Alpe di Sceng di Sopra - Alpe di GiumellaTicino6.2 km593 m2 hr 11 minModerateApril to October
Alpe Naccio - TermineTicino2.6 km57 m38 minEasyApril to October
Citto-Alpe d,AlvaTicino4.6 km877 m2 hr 17 minModerateApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Alpe Cardada - Cardada Colmanicchio, 16 - Capanna Alpe di Canaa - Salmone, 02 - Capanna Nimi- Rifugio Alpe Masnee. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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