Nufenen Pass

At Ulrichen, 21km on the Valais side of the Furka Pass, a clearly marked road turns southeast and twists its way south out of the Valais and into the mountains that separate the canton from Ticino. Impressively barren country leads you to the Nufenen Pass (Passo di Novena) at 2478m, probably the most remote gateway into Switzerland’s Italian canton. Dropping down the other side, the first major town is Airolo, 24km east of the pass along the quiet Val Bedretto.