Transalp in Switzerland

Do you see two slender towers made of red sandstone? That's Basel Minster, one of the city's landmarks. There are many ways to get to know the city on the Rhine: on a tour of the old town, on a ferry trip or on a walk along the banks of the Rhine. If you are interested in art, a visit to one of the numerous museums in the city of art is a must!

From Basel, you cycle through the Ergolz valley towards Liestal. You approach the gentle hills of the Aargau Jura Park, which you can easily master by bike. You cycle rapidly downhill over the southern Jura hills to Aarau. This charming little town lies on the right bank of the Aare. In the old town, it is best to always keep your eyes upwards. The reason: many protruding roof gables are beautifully painted under the surface. They are also known as roof linings and most of them date back to the 16th century. You should also try a slice of Aargauer Rüeblitorte (carrot cake)!

Today you cycle upstream through the open river valley of the Suhre river. You have a view of vast and wonderfully pure nature! You cycle past Lake Sempach and reach Lucerne and Lake Lucerne. In Lucerne, you will immediately notice Kapellbrücke, the oldest covered bridge in Europe. At almost 205 meters, the wooden bridge connects the old and new town. The picturesque mountain panorama of Lucerne will remain in your memory on this transalp route in Switzerland.

Accompanied by impressive views of the Swiss mountains, you cycle along Lake Lucerne today. You change to a boat in Beckenried and take a leisurely ride across the lake to Flüelen. This gives you the best view of the mighty mountains on both sides of the shore, reminiscent of a Norwegian fjord. The Axenstrasse, an important transport link between Zurich and the Gotthard Pass, runs along the eastern shore, boldly carved out of the steep rock. The road would not be without danger for cyclists. It's a good thing that you can take a relaxed look at it from the boat. The small village of Amsteg belongs to the municipality of Silenen and is characterized by the striking Gotthard houses. It is the gateway to Maderanertal, one of the most pristine mountain valleys in Switzerland.

You cycle from Amsteg to Göschenen. From here, you take optional the bus* (not included) through the Reuss plain to Andermatt and up to the Gotthard Pass. You pass the Teufelsbrücke (devil's bridge) over Schöllenen Gorge. The Transalp route is aptly named. After all, the Gotthard is the Swiss mountain pass between north and south, between the cantons of Uri and Ticino. The St. Gotthard Museum is located on the pass at 2100 meters above sea level. Here you can learn about the importance and the economic, strategic and cultural influence of the pass road in a lively way.

A wonderful bike ride down through the Tremola Gorge on the old Gotthard road and on through the flat Leventina Valley. The gorges fall away steeply here. On the way is Giornico, a typical Ticino village with old stone houses and two impressive arched bridges over the Ticino river. As you cycle along the river, you will feel the southern flair of Ticino more and more. Thanks to the mild climate, chestnut forests and sun-kissed wines grow here. The granite rocks are particularly striking on this stage. The closer you get to Bellinzona, the wider the valley opens up. Bellinzona is the capital of Italian-speaking Ticino. Its Lombard character and medieval architecture will captivate you.

You cycle to Cadenazzo. Here you board the train (not included) and travel to Rivera Bironico. From Monte Ceneri, you have a beautiful view of Lake Maggiore and the vegetable garden of Piano di Magadino. You cycle through the extensive Magadino plain to Lugano. The largest city in Ticino lies between the Monte Bre and Monte Salvatore mountains and the lake. Enjoy the charming landscape of Lago di Lugano and stroll through the narrow streets, across the large squares and past the museums, churches and beautiful stores.

Unfortunately, your bike tour ends today. Congratulations, you have not only crossed the Gotthard massif on your transalp tour through the whole of Switzerland, you can now proudly call yourself a transalpist.