T2 George Clooney Sunshine: Ticino Lake Panorama Monte San-Salvatore

The George Clooney in the Sun: Ticino Lake Panorama, via LuganoParadiso-SanSalvatore-VicoMorcote-Carona

T2, 16km, 920m ascent, 610m descent, 5h6’ walking time

The weather forecast for Sunday October 25, 2026 is only good for southern Ticino, sunny and dry with some clouds, with noon temperatures at the 900m high point Monte San Salvotore of 15°C.

Note that there are some rains expected in the days before, so expect wet ground.

The ascent from the Lugano suburb of Paradiso is long and steep and classified as T2.

The hike starts at 06:50 in Zurich HB.

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RSVP:

• Please respond no later than Saturday noon with your firm participation.
• Do not cancel on short notice/last min before the event, else you are taking away someone’s spot and make organization difficult.
• No shows with no communication are not appreciated and can lead to elimination from the Zurich Hike and Outdoor meetup group.

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OUTBOUND TRAVEL:

• 06: 50 Meet under the «Blue Angel» in Zurich HB (note: I will join the group on the train in Zurich from a connecting train.)
• 07: 05 ICE2 (direction Lugano). Let’s try to sit together in the 2nd class car in front of the restaurant car.
• 08: 58 arrive in Lugano, change train to Paradiso
• 09: 02 RE80 (direction Milano) to Paradiso
• 09: 05 arrive Paradiso
• 09: 10 Meet the group at Pradiso train station

THE HIKE:

• Duration: 5h6’ (plus breaks)
• Distance: 16km
• Maximum altitude: 900m
• Ascent/descent: 920m/610m
• Leistungskilometer: 26 lkm
• SAC classification: T2
• Map and Route Profile: https://swisstopo.app/i/5/958EGA6U

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Monte San Salvatore 900m:
  Dominating pyramid peak above Lugano with panoramic view over the Lago di Lugano and far into Italy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_San_Salvatore

DESCRIPTION:
George Clooney made these lakes his luxury retreat. We will do him one better, and look down on his villa while enjoying the sun from the peak.
The hike starts at the train station in Paradiso, the suburb of Lugano at the base of Monte San Salvatore. A steep and long ascent T2 will bring us to the top of the mountain.
Once on top, we will continue to the southern tip of the high plateau of the peninsula, the Alpe Vicania overlooking Morcote. We will refrain from destroying our knees descending to the lake at Morcote: instead, we turn around on a circular path around Monte Arbostora and return to Carona at the middle of the plateau. There we take the bus to Paradiso, from where we return to Zurich by train.

EQUIPMENT:

• Sunscreen
• Good sturdy shoes with a high-grip big-block mountain Vibram sole. (categorically no sneakers, no sandals or open shoes)
• Hiking Poles optional
• Rain jacket, just in case.
• Picnic lunch and Water (It will be warm and it’s a long walk. There might be a village fountain or Restaurant every couple km where you can refill your bottle, no guarantee)
• Money, smartphone, ID, health insurance card, train ticket
• Good mood 😊

LUNCH and SNACKS:

• Coffee, on San Salvatore at 11:00
• Picnic, planned at 13:00 at the Parco Botanico overlooking Carona.

RETURN TRAVEL:

Depart Carona Bellavista bus station 17:33 to Paradiso, 17:54 to Lugano, 18:02 to Zurich HB, arrive 19:55 in Zurich.

From Carona, bus leaves to Paradiso once every hour at xx:33.
Travel to Zurich takes ca 2h30, departing until late into the night.

COST w/HALBTAX:
Total cost about CHF 60.- w/HT (plus food/drinks)

COST w/GA:
none (plus food/drinks/watch tower)

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DISCLAIMER:
By joining this walk, you acknowledge and accept the terms set out below.
This is NOT a guided tour. It is a private get-together of individuals hiking together. Each participant remains responsible for their own judgement, decisions, actions and safety.
It is your responsibility to prepare appropriately before the event. You need to understand the nature of the activity, assess its difficulty, risks and hazards, and consider the expected weather and trail conditions.
You also need to assess the required experience, skills and fitness level and decide for yourself whether you meet these requirements.
You are responsible for your own preparation, equipment (boots, clothing, gear, etc.) and adequate insurance cover. Prepare and equip yourself as you would if you were undertaking the walk on your own.
PLEASE DO NOT JOIN IF YOU ARE NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE TO BE FIT AND PREPARED AND HAVE THE NECESSARY EXPERIENCE.
During the event, you remain responsible for exercising your own judgement and making your own decisions. If at any point you consider the route, conditions or any other circumstances unsafe or unsuitable for you, it is your responsibility to act accordingly.
Participation is entirely at your own risk. The organiser does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the event description and merely provides an opportunity for participants to meet and hike together. Any liability of the organiser is excluded.
By joining, you accept that you may appear in photos. Please do not expect photos to be removed or withheld from posting unless there is a compelling reason, such as a particularly embarrassing or inappropriate image.