To stroll by rusticos

To stroll by rusticos on a scenic path from Mogno to Fusio. Immersing yourself in nature and culture, on walks to discover how in one corner of the arc of the Alps the delicate relationship between the mountain landscape and man-made constructions has been interpreted in the past and in recent times — that is the purpose of a new tourist guide launched last week in the upper Lavizzara valley. The guide is an initiative by Giovan Luigi Dazio’s design studio, which has been responsible for many significant works of architecture between Mogno and Fusio. The guide, which contains short texts in four languages and has been published in an edition of 5,000 copies, is available throughout the area from several distributors. Foreign visitors and locals alike are “accompanied” on several pleasant routes for day-trippers in the area between Cambleo and the Sambuco reservoir. This interesting initiative, which has also been specifically adapted for elderly people, breaks the mould of the typical fair for tourists in this mountain region. What makes these routes — varying in length and taking between one and four hours to complete — different from the norm in that they foster appreciation of the beauty landscape by taking a sweeping view based on the buildings of each period, from the rural past to modern rebuilding work of great value. All the buildings included in the brochure are indicated with a small image and a description including the place name in the local dialect. The many points of interest featured include a wood and stone torba from 1401 — the oldest in Vallemaggia — used to store cereals, the famous Mogno church by the architect Mario Botta, and the town of Fusio, where several projects are currently underway to recover and contemporise a number of beautiful old buildings. Of all these works and projects, one that stands out particularly is the planned restructuring of the original La Cittadella complex, which features sections from several different eras and architectural styles. Finally, this easy-to-use guide includes all the basic information that the curious day-tripper would want to know, and tips about other interesting spots in the region, such as the limestone quarry at Fontái Zóra.