Alpine Huts and Shelters

Ticino's alpine huts provide a vital network of shelters across the Lepontine and Lugano Alps, ranging from high-altitude Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) refuges to lower-elevation hostels. These stone-built structures, such as the historic Capanna Adula and the panoramic Capanna Tamaro, serve as base camps for ascending peaks or trekking the Via Alta della Verzasca. Many offer regional Ticinese cuisine and essential lodging for hikers exploring the Val Piora lake district and the Greina plateau.

Capanna dei Monti di Lego

Alpine refuge and hostel in Mergoscia, Val Resa. Situated at 1,150 meters, it features views over Lake Maggiore and the Maggia River delta.

Capanna Ristorante Cimetta

Mountain restaurant and hut located at the Cimetta summit. Accessible by chairlift from Locarno-Cardada, it serves as a panoramic viewpoint over the Locarno region.

Capanna Alzasca

Swiss Alpine Club refuge of the Locarno section, located at 1,704 meters in the Maggia Valley near the Alzasca alpine lakes.

Capanna Cadagno

Located in the Val Piora at 1,987 meters, this hut is situated near the Alpe di Piora and serves as a base for exploring Lake Ritóm.

Capanna Bovarina

Situated at 1,870 meters in the Val di Campo, this shelter provides access to the Lukmanier Pass region and the Greina plateau.

Capanna Adula CAS

Swiss Alpine Club hut on the western slope of the Adula massif at 2,012 meters. It is one of the primary starting points for ascending the Rheinwaldhorn.

Capanna Orino

Stone refuge at 1,400 meters in the Bellinzona region, offering views across the Magadino plain and the surrounding Lepontine Alps.

Capanna Alpe Fümegna

Refuge located in the Pincascia Valley, a lateral branch of the Verzasca Valley, situated at an elevation of 1,810 meters.

Capanna Scaletta

Managed by the SAT Lukmanier, this hut sits at 2,205 meters at the foot of the Greina plateau, a protected tundra-like landscape.

Capanna Tamaro

Located at 1,867 meters near the summit of Monte Tamaro. It features a large terrace and serves traditional Ticinese dishes to hikers on the ridge trail.

Capanna del Pairolo

Located in the Val Colla at 1,347 meters. The hut is situated near the Denti della Vecchia, limestone towers frequently used for rock climbing.

Capanna San Lucio

Situated on the San Lucio Pass at 1,541 meters on the border between Switzerland and Italy, serving the Lugano Prealps hiking network.

Rifugio Bugone

Mountain restaurant and lodging located at 1,119 meters on the slopes of Monte Bisbino, featuring regional cuisine and outdoor seating.

Ristorante-Ostello Vetta Monte Lema

High-altitude hostel and restaurant at the 1,624-meter summit of Monte Lema, accessible via cable car from the village of Miglieglia.

Capanna Alpe Saléi

Stone hut at 1,777 meters above Comologno in the Onsernone Valley, located near a small alpine lake and the Italian border.

Capanna Brogoldone

Located at 1,904 meters at the end of the Lumino cable car route, this hut serves as the gateway to the Pizzo di Claro peak.

Capanna Soveltra

Traditional stone hut at 1,534 meters in the Val di Prato, a side valley of the Lavizzara region in the Tessiner Alps.

Capanna Barone

Self-catering stone refuge at 2,172 meters at the head of the Verzasca Valley, located near the alpine Lago Barone.

Capanna Ribia

Self-catering refuge on the Alpe di Ribia in the Onsernone Valley, situated at 1,996 meters below the Rosso di Ribia peak.

Rifugio Tomeo

Stone hut at 1,739 meters in the Val Tomè, offering access to the nearby alpine lake and the rugged peaks of the Val Lavizzara.