Ticino is a canton in southern Switzerland loved by tourists for its all-year warm weather, with daily average temperatures of 18 degrees. It borders Italy and Italian is the official language here. Ticino is also a land of water and has beautiful rivers and lakes worth touring. Visitors to Ticino are spoiled for choice by the plenty of water recreation activities. Here are 10 water recreation activities visitors can indulge in while visiting this popular travel destination in Switzerland.
10 Rafting
The Maggia River has rough waters, and rafting on them offers a thrilling and tough but satisfying experience to aquatic adrenaline junkies. The river's 18-kilometer navigable course between Bignasco and Gordevio passes by beautiful and lush forests on the water's edge, rocky islands, and huge boulders. This course also has pristine, turquoise pools rafters can swim in, tiny waterfalls, and chaotic stretches of fast-flowing waters. This rafting experience combines enjoying nature's beauty and getting challenged by its wildness.
9 Windsurfing
Lake Maggiore is the choice of surfing destination while visiting Ticino. In the morning, when the wind is minimal, visitors windsurf on motorized boats. But in the afternoon, windsurfers are propelled by wind blowing on the lake, and this is the ideal windsurfing time. As visitors get their boards and set sails on this lake, they also get to enjoy the scenic greenery of the surrounding mountainous terrain.
8 Diving
Ticino's crystal clear river waters have among the best and most rewarding diving experiences in Europe. Two rivers, Verzasca and Maggia, nestled between large rock formations, also have trout and bullhead fish aplenty that divers "meet." River diving at Ticino depends on prevailing weather and can be rescheduled at short notice, but that prospect need not dampen potential divers' enthusiasm. The experience of diving in Ticino waters and seeing the stunning and lush underwater ecosystem and surrounding paradise is worth experiencing. Certified divers are available to guide and train diving novices and hire out diving equipment such as TSK.
7 Angling
All year round, visitors can tour the Audan alpine lakes and do sport fishing. This scenic and lush paradise is open for families with children and novice anglers keen to learn to fish with hooks. The various spots are safe to angle and are surrounded by beautiful trees and lush vegetation. In the designated fishing lakes, the fishing hours start from 8 am to 7 pm. For more angling information at Audan alpine, the management can be contacted by email at donatel@bluewin.ch.
Costs
- Adults 30 Swiss Francs (Maximum 10 Trouts At Big Lake)
- Children (up to 13 years) 15 Swiss Francs (Maximum 7 Trouts)
- Per Kilo Fishing At Small Lake 2 Swiss Francs
6 Boating
Lake Maggiore is shared by Switzerland through Ticino and Italy, and boating is the ideal way to explore it and the hidden travel gems around it in both countries. The boat tour takes visitors past huge mountains and the beautiful villages by the lake's shore. The tour starts at Locarno and heads to Gambarogno and continues to the beautiful Gambarogno Botanic Garden at Vairano-San Nazzaro. At San Nazzaro, visitors can take a refreshing dip and swim during summer. The boat tours also pass by Brissago Islands, where there is another botanical garden with plants from all over the world.
5 Tour Waterfalls
Landscapes around Lake Maggiore are dotted with beautiful waterfalls worth touring to behold their pristine magnificence. Some have pools where visitors swim or keep cool during the warm summers. Ascona-Locarno region valleys also have many waterfalls, including some that appear after rains. The 110 meters Foroglio Waterfalls in the Maggia Valley is one of the most stunning of waterfalls in Ticino. Other waterfalls to tour include the Cascata di Val Mött, a 30-meter waterfall in Verzasca Valley, and the 13-meter Vergeletto waterfall in Onsernone Valley.
4 Kayak
In spite of skill level, visitors can kayak at Lake Lugano if the weather is favorable, they can swim, or if under 14 years are accompanied by adults. Novice kayakers are advised to seek assistance from trained and licensed instructors. Individual and group kayaking courses are available to help beginners learn the paddling and safety measures. Single, double, and Canadian canoes are available for hiring to kayak at Lake Lugano. Kayak Lugano offers canoe and kayak rentals at lake Lugano that cost as follows:
Cost
- Kayak 40 Swiss Francs for 4 Hours
- Kayak 20 Swiss Francs for 1 Hour
- 10 Swiss Francs Surcharge For Double Kayak
3 Stand-Up Paddle
Lakes Maggiore and Lugano waters are perfect for stand-up paddling, where one paddles forward while standing on a surfboard. This water sport that originated in Hawaii gives a full body workout since it relies on human muscle power to paddle forward. To stand-up paddle, visitors need to know how to swim, and it is open to all ages regardless of skill level. Visitors can contact Ticino tourism management to get details on stand-up paddling via email at info@ticino.ch or phone at +41 91 825 70 56.
2 Thrill Dives
In summer, when it's sunny, visitors who fancy thrill dives into cold waters can do them at Ticino's five most popular diving boards, on swimming pools, and at Lake Maggiore. The boards vary in height, and all that's required to dive is an adrenaline rush and guts. At the Lido di Lugano beach on the shores of Lake Lugano, the diving board's heights are 1,35 and 10 meters. At this beach, there also are water games like volleyball and swimming pools for adults and children.
1 Wave Riding
The mild sunny weather and calm blue waters of Lake Maggiore make it perfect for wakeboarding and wake surfing. Wakeboarding involves a rider being towed at high speed by a motorboat while performing spectacular tricks. In wake surfing, riders surf on waves generated by speeding boats. Skimming over these waters at high speed, as jets of water and gusts of wind engulf the wave rider, is a thrill worth visiting Ticino for. All this happens against the backdrop of one of the most scenic landscapes in Switzerland. Visitors can contact Unda Alta Watersports and Water Sports if they wish to wakeboard or wake surf at Lake Maggiore.