Lavertezzo is the jewel of the Canton of Ticino, a place touched by the magic wand of nature which combines a picturesque and traditional village, a bucolic medieval bridge (Ponte dei Salti) and a river with transparent waters.
This picture is the most famous natural attraction of the Verzasca Valley and even of the whole of Canton of Ticino. It is one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland and is often forgotten because of the influence of the great mountains of the Alps on tourists.
This destination is very popular, especially on weekends in July and August. If you want to make the most of this earthly paradise, go on a weekday and be there at nine in the morning if possible so you have at least one hour to admire the place with very few people.
Lavertezzo & Ponte dei Salti
Lavertezzo is a small village located in the Verzasca Valley. With no more than one thousand inhabitants and situated roughly 535 metres above sea level, the town is famous for its spectacular Roman bridge that stands beside it.
The view of the church and the typical houses of the valley will occupy your eyes as soon as you arrive on the road that passes the village. The village can be visited very quickly although we recommend that you take a walk around the church and go up a bit to get good views of the village and the bridge.
In any case, we advise you to visit the village after you have enjoyed the bridge and the Verzasca river. Once you arrive, try to go directly to the river and do not lose time because it gets crowded rather fast and you can visit the village afterwards.
The bridge is the main attraction of the valley thanks to its double-curved medieval arch. The present bridge is a faithful reconstruction of the original bridge, which was partially destroyed by the floods of the fifties. Surprisingly, the possibility of reconstruction in cement was seriously considered but final decision was using stones as the original bridge.
Of course the views from above are excellent. The Verzasca is a jade green river of incomparable beauty. Its crystal and transparent water allow you to see the rocks and the floor without having to wear water glasses.
After crossing the Roman bridge Ponte dei Salti (Bridge of Jumps), you can go down and enjoy the surroundings.
If you arrive early, you can take spectacular close-ups of the bridge with only few people. You will also enjoy the river and the bridge in front of you with hardly any tourists.
The canton of Ticino is very hot in summer so swimming in these waters is a pleasure reserved only to the visitants.
From the water you can see some young people jumping from the same bridge. It is simply spectacular, even the people applaud. From a rock below, one can also make spectacular jumps.
After you have enjoyed the bridge, we advise you to set up camp and continue downstream. More people will already have arrived and will disturb your relaxation, so walk between the rocks and away from the bridge towards Lavertezzo.
Dozens of corners, half hidden and hardly anyone will welcome you, such as mysterious natural pools with small waterfalls, polished canyons, etc.
These are places where there is much more intimacy than the bridge area and we assure you that the places are absolutely charming. You can relax in a fantastic pool where a small waterfall pours water as if it were your own private pool.
Of course we recommend you to eat there as you will have an unforgettable summer day.
Where is the Ponte dei Salti?
If you want to spend a nice holiday and enjoy the good times, remember that the Roman bridge Ponte dei Salti in Lavertezzo is a good option.