Blink and you'll almost certainly miss this pint-sized hamlet, which looks as though it would topple down the terraced hillside with the slightest puff of wind. With a population of just 13, Switzerland's smallest village is something else: a ludicrously photogenic cluster of granite-built, slate-roofed houses seemingly pasted on to the steep, forested mountain flank. Lore has it that in past times locals tied fabric bags to their chickens' tails to stop the eggs rolling down the sheer slope.

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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Castelgrande
9.19 MILES
Rising dramatically above the Old Town, this medieval stronghold is Bellinzona’s most visible icon. Head up Salita San Michele from Piazza Collegiata, or…
Castello di Montebello
9.41 MILES
On cloudless days, you can see Lake Maggiore from this 13th-century hilltop fortification. The fortress is one of Bellinzona’s most impressive with its…
Isole Borromeo
27.87 MILES
The Borromean Gulf forms Lake Maggiore's most beautiful corner, sheltering the Borromean Islands and their spectacular, privately owned palaces. Closest…
Villa della Porta Bozzolo
23.53 MILES
In the unassuming town of Casalzuigno, about 9km east of Laveno, generations of nobles have swanned about the magnificent gardens of Villa della Porta…
Castello Visconteo
5.2 MILES
Named after the Visconti clan that long ruled Milan, this fortified 15th-century castle’s nucleus was raised around the 10th century. It now houses a…
Val Bavona
15.81 MILES
A smooth road follows a mountain stream through this valley, where narrow meadows are cradled between steep rocky walls. Its tightly huddled stone and…
Monte Generoso
22.87 MILES
Popping up between Italy and Switzerland, the 1704m peak of Monte Generoso has far-reaching views across a patchwork of lakes and mountains. The rack-and…
Parco Scherrer
21.79 MILES
Set in subtropical parkland, Parco Scherrer, 400m west of the boat stop in Morcote, is the dream come true of textile merchant and art enthusiast Hermann…
Nearby Ticino attractions
1. Lavertezzo
1.6 MILES
While the church-topped village is as pretty as can be, it plays second fiddle to the grandiose backdrop of thickly forested mountains and the jade-green…
2. Santuario della Madonna del Sasso
4.74 MILES
Overlooking the town, this sanctuary was built after the Virgin Mary supposedly appeared in a vision to a monk, Bartolomeo d’Ivrea, in 1480. There’s a…
3. Parco Muralto
4.81 MILES
Locarno’s climate is perfect for lolling about the lake. Bristling with palms and ablaze with flowers in spring and summer, these gardens are a scenic…
4. Old Town
5.02 MILES
You can feel just how close you are to Italy when exploring Locarno's hilly Città Vecchia (Old Town), an appealing jumble of piazzas, arcades, churches…
5. Piazza Grande
5.04 MILES
Locarno’s Italianate Città Vecchia (Old Town) fans out from Piazza Grande, a photogenic ensemble of arcades and Lombard-style houses. A craft and fresh…
6. Chiesa Nuova
5.09 MILES
Guarded by a giant bas-relief St Christopher with disproportionately tiny feet, the baroque-gone-mad, 17th-century Chiesa Nuova has cherubs and stucco…
7. Chiesa di Sant'Antonio
5.14 MILES
Standing proud on a fountain-dotted square, this church is best known for its altar to the Cristo Morto (Dead Christ).
8. Pinacoteca Casa Rusca
5.15 MILES
This gallery occupies a beautifully restored 18th-century townhouse, Casa Rusca. The permanent collection zooms in on 20th century paintings, sculpture…