Foroglio waterfall in Ticino

The huge Foroglio waterfall near Locarno is easy to reach, with a viewpoint right next to the parking and bus stop. You can walk to two viewpoints closer to the falls: a quick stroll to the river below the falls and a short hike through the forest to the base of the falls.

The waterfall lives in a tiny village with classic stone “rustico” buildings, just waiting for you to snap their picture. There is one a small café serving traditional dishes like polenta and stew, with a view of the falls. Otherwise, bring a picnic and settle in the shade while you enjoy the show.

If you want a proper hike, you can also hike about an hour up the falls to the magical Calnègia valley.

Gallery

Location

The Foroglio waterfall is located in the Bavona valley, north of Locarno in southern Switzerland (see on Google Maps). The waterfalls are easily accessible by car or bus, with the viewpoints very close to the parking and bus stop.

Waterfall viewpoints

The map below shows the two paths to waterfall viewpoints.

1. Easy path to river with a view of the falls, nice place for a picnic. 

2. Steep but short hike on a dirt path through the forest to reach the base on the falls, about 10 mins each way. 

If you want a longer hike, you can follow trail 3 to the top of the falls, about 1 hour each way. Learn more.

How to get there

By public transport:

You can ride bus 315 from Locarno to Bignasco, Posta, then bus 333 to Foroglio. This second bus only runs a few times a day, so check the schedule carefully. The full journey takes about 1hr10 from Locarno. On weekends, these buses can get very full, so you might have to stand. Remember to check the bus schedule for the way home. In 2021, the afternoon buses are 14:07, 15:47 and 17:49 (last bus).

Private driver:

If you are traveling in a group and don’t have a car, we highly recommend getting a private driver to explore this area. Since the bus runs very infrequently, you cannot easily make multiple stops as you travel up and down the valley.

On our last visit, we had a driver (provided by Ticino Tourism), who took us to multiple beautiful photo spots on the drive up the valley. Our driver Dorien is from Val Balvona and owns the small driving company Mattei Viaggi. We really appreciated his local knowledge and the flexibility on the journey.

By car:

With your own car, you can drive directly to Foroglio, about 45 mins from Locarno. There is a small parking lot across from the falls – GPS: 46°22’24.1″N 8°32’54.3″E. The parking is metered. There is a toilet in the parking lot.

Hiking map

Here is a hiking map showing the path to the base of the falls. It’s quite easy to find but having this map may make you feel more comfortable.

Photo story of the falls

When you arrive, you get this view directly from the road.

From the parking and bus stop, cross this bridge to the small village of Foroglio. 

Easy path to the river

For the short path to the waterfall (aka Walk 1), cross the bridge and take the dirt path on your left along the river. 

It’s a super short path leading to the river flowing from the waterfall, as shown here. 

There used to be #swingtheworld swing here, but last time I visited, the swing was missing. In any case, it’s in the middle of the river and difficult to reach. 

Foroglio Village & Cafe

Walk back the way you came to the small village. Here you’ll find the La Froda cafe, the only place to eat in town. They serve cheese and charcuterie plates, warm dishes mostly polenta with stew, sausage or cheese, and desserts.

It’s best to make a reservation because there is limited seating and this area can be quite popular. When we got there at 11:00, we told them we were planning to hike up the waterfall and eat afterwards. So we made a reservation then for 14:00. But if you want to eat at noon, make a reservation at least a day before.

I suggest a stroll through the adorable village. Please stay on the paths, don’t trespass and be an annoying tourist, people live here! 

So many nice pictures to be made in the village, even without a hike.

On the edge of the village, there is a grassy area with a couple swings. Some people were picnicking here.

Short path to base of waterfalls

To reach the next viewpoint closer to the falls, walk from the café straight through the village to the edge of the forest.

You’ll see the trail sign here. Go left to “Cascata di Foroglio” for the short path to the base of the waterfalls. The other direction leads to the top of the falls (see that hike here).

The path to the base of the falls is a narrow dirt path, sometimes steep. There are a few stairs and in the section below, you use a chain to help navigate the steep steps.

After about 10 mins, you reach this viewpoint very close to the falls. It gets quite wet here from the spray and the path is muddy. You can walk down to that big rock, but it gets really wet and slippery (I know because I went down there briefly). Be careful!

After enjoying the view, retrace your steps back to the village.

Hike to the top of the falls

For a proper hike, you can follow trail signs to Calnegia. Learn more about this hike here. This trail is steep, with lots of stairs and switchbacks. 

It’s mostly in the forest with a couple views of the falls on the way, like this one.

It takes about one hour to reach the valley at the top of the falls. It has this beautiful stone bridge that you may have seen on social media. 

See more hikes in Ticino.