There are many waterfalls in the Ticino canton of Switzerland, with Cascata del Salto as one of them. Located in Maggia, this beautiful 60 meter high waterfall is the perfect place for a dip in a deep pool. The Cascata del Salto also has a shallow area for dipping your toes in and to relax in the sunshine. It’s a unique, hidden gem with mostly locals on a hot Summers day. Perfect for some local waterfall fun!
Where is Cascata del Salto?
Cascata del Salto is located on the edge of the village called Maggia. It’s easily reachable with the local 315 bus from Locarno. The bus takes only 25minutes too, else a car journey from Locarno takes only 15mins. Else you can also cycle or drive to Maggia through the valley.
Maggia itself is a beautiful village in the Ticino canton. It is home for around 2,400 inhabitants at the elevation of 372m. Maggia is known for its beautiful white beaches and riverbed, where it is perfect to relax on a hot summers day. There are also lots of hiking routes passing through Maggia, for those who want to explore on foot.
Once you reach Maggia, the waterfall is a little walk away. The easiest and safest route to walk to it, since its a bit secluded, is via the road past the Chiesa di San Maurizio church to the right and up. This route lets you arrive to the waterfall on the left side of it. The other way from the right side of the waterfall is rather dangerous and not suitable to use.
Swimming At The Waterfall
Since it’s a waterfall, you can of course also swim here. The total height of the waterfall is 60 metres high. The part where the waterfall falls into is a deep pool and possible to swim in, whereas the first part nearby is shallow and you can stand in the water easily. There’s not too much space for a swim though, so it’s more of a dip and relaxation in the water in the shallow part. On busy days it can be hard to find a spot to leave your stuff while you go in too. So its worth visiting at lesser busy times such as an afternoon in the week rather than on a warm Saturday.
If you want to visit a location with more swimming options, check out the beautiful Lavertezzo Verzasca Valley instead.
Keep in mind the water is rather cold, but in the full sunshine of the Summer period it’s actually perfect. But just make sure to prepare for this and bring something to dry yourself off afterwards, else to make sure to sit in the sun for a bit before leaving.
When arriving during sunshine hours, you will be greeted with a beautiful rainbow from the waterfall spray!
Summary
This waterfall is really just one of so many beautiful waterfalls in the Ticino canton. Many are reachable with public transport to the area and short walk, such as this one in the village of Maggia.
For those who want to combine the waterfall with a hike, there is a specific route you can take thats about 9km which can be done in 2-3 hours. Its a pretty loop route that starts and ends in Maggia, so perfect if you came by car or bus!
Tips:
- Take a snack and drink with you
- Wear suncream if visiting on a hot Summer day
- Be respectful and take your trash with you
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