TO MARKET
Bellinzona’s must-visit Saturday
morning market, which extends
from Piazza Nosetto to the lanes of
the Old Town, is an opportunity for
small producers to showcase their
wares. Look out for cheeses such
as zincarlin (a curd cheese); soft,
creamy büsción; and formaggio
d’alpe, made with milk from high-
altitude cows. Other specialities
include mortadella di fegato, or
pork liver salami, plus pepper
mixed with herbs from the Maggia
Valley and chestnuts prepared in
all manner of ways. And don’t miss
out on torta di pane — a cake made
with bread soaked in milk and
eggs, pine nuts and dried fruit.
TICINESE GIN
Four friends from the Muggio
Valley created organic gin Bisbino,
whose botanicals include seven
herbs and a secret ingredient
— all plucked from the distillery’s
garden in the village of Sagno, on
the slopes of the gin’s namesake
mountain. Dry and mellow with
light citrusy notes, it’s perfect in a
Ticinese G&T, made with locally
made sparkling water. A tour of the
gardens and distillery, including
a tasting, costs from CHF25 (£20)
per person. wp.bisbino.chONE-OF-A-KIND CHEESE
Surviving against the odds, age-
old zincarlin cheese is only made
by one person, Marialuce Valtulini
in the Muggio Valley. Using a
recipe handed down by her
mother, almost every day for two
months she kneads each cheese
into its upside-down cup shape,
bathing it in white wine to keep
the rind soft. Marialuce has also
given this flavoursome cheese a
modern twist, creating ‘gincarlin’
using Bisbino gin.DOWN ON THE FARM
Terreni alla Maggia, a farm
founded 90 years ago in the fertile
River Maggia delta near Ascona,
is home to the country’s only ricepaddy, producing Riso Nostrano
Ticinese, used in risotto and beer.
It also produces award-winning
wines, including Bondola, using
a native red grape dating back to
the 18th century, and La Lepre,
a fruity white Merlot that’s
perfectly paired with aperitivi.
Shop for the region’s culinary
specialities and enjoy a tour and
wine tasting from CHF23 (£18) per
person. terreniallamaggia.chFABULOUS FLOUR
In the village of Vergeletto, tucked
into the velvety green folds of
the Onsernone Valley, Ilario
Garbani has not only restored
the ancient watermill but also
revived farina bòna (corn flour).
The former teacher researched
the historic recipe before
installing a coffee roaster, which
he says is the secret to the flour’s
distinctive flavour. It finds its way
into everything from pasta and
amaretti biscuits to craft beer and
ice cream. farinabona.chA TASTE OF TICINO REGIONAL TREATS
MORE INFO
Grand Café Al Porto.
grand-cafe-lugano.ch
LAC. luganolac.ch
Asconautica. asconautica.ch
Grotto Baldoria.
grottobaldoria.ch
Monte Verità.
monteverita.org/en
Sea Lounge. seven.ch/en/
lounges-and-bars/
sea-lounge-ascona
Hotel Eden Roc. edenroc.ch
Terreni alla Maggia.
terreniallamaggia.ch/en
Mountaingliders.
mountaingliders.com
007 Bungee Jump.
trekking.ch
Locarno Film Festival.
locarnofestival.ch
Lugano Estival Jazz.
estivaljazz.ch
ticino.ch/en
myswitzerland.comHOW TO DO IT
British Airways, Swiss and
EasyJet fly to Zurich Airport
direct from the UK. From
there, you can take a train to
Bellinzona (1h50m) and
Lugano (2h20m). Another
option is to fly to Milan and
get a direct train to Lugano
(1h20m). ba.com.
easyjet.com swiss.com
Alternatively, the train from
London to Lugano takes
around 11 hours with a
variety of routes and
connections.ON THE MENU
Ticino is a slow food
hub, from secret-
recipe salami and
artisan cheeses to
nocino, a bittersweet
liqueur made from
green walnuts, and
white Merlot.IMAGE: ALAMYSaturday morning
market in Bellinzona
42 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
WEEKENDER