Gottardo Bike - Stage 1: Andermatt - Airolo (SwitzerlandMobility 65)

The spectacular crossing of the main Alpine watershed, from Andermatt to Biasca. The Gottardo Bike route includes the famous San Gotthard Pass, the solitary Piora plateau, and the sunny Valle di Blenio.

The Gottardo Bike route combines spectacular high-altitude landscapes with a fine lesson in Swiss history. The San Gotthard Pass has been one of the main north-south transit axes for centuries. The underground is a labyrinth of bunkers, a testimony to its military role during the Second World War; various sections of the route are old army access roads.

The contrast with Val Piora further south could not be greater: here nature reigns. The charming plateau with its two alpine lakes lies in a rugged high mountain environment. Lake Cadagno also boasts a unique phenomenon in Europe – the lack of mixing between surface and deep waters – and is known to scientists worldwide.

The descent into the Valle di Blenio takes place almost entirely on the old Lucomagno road. In the Middle Ages, until the rise of the Gotthard, the Lucomagno Pass was the main north-south connection. Little frequented, it is one of the most beautiful alpine passes in Switzerland. The section to Olivone passes through large larch forests, very green plateaus, dense spruce woods and is considered one of the most beautiful in upper Ticino.