サンタマリアマッジョーレの天然記念物・トップ20

Magnificent spot to swim

There is a feeling of abrupt detachment when we enter what seems to be the mysterious door to the very heart of the mountain: almost suddenly we pass from a gentle, sunny and verdant landscape to a space of shadow where rare rays of sun struggle to penetrate, grazing the walls like blades of light, we pass from the heat to the cool-humid where only mosses and lichens manage to thrive and develop. We walk easily on the flat and dry bottom, created by the deposits of the streams, large irregularly rounded cavities alternate with narrow passages and above our heads dizzying walls seem at times to almost join together leaving only narrow openings towards the sky. Some metal ladders make the climb easier.

In Maiesso (535 m) you can admire, along the course of the Toce river, the so-called 'giants' potholes': the rocky banks hit by the swirling subglacial current, have been sculpted as if they were soft clay, giving rise to semicircular, sinuous, smooth and enveloping shapes, splendid inlets where the current relaxes and the torrent widens into sparkling pools of water that invite you to take a dive and a 'vivifying' immersion. Here you can also observe the "zero unit", the oldest formation in our Alps that emerges only here in the Antigorio valley.

These thermal baths are in Valle Onsernone at 986m, on the border between Switzerland and Italy and is crossed by the Isorno stream. It owes its name to a thermal water source at 28°C, it is not very popular and is definitely worth a visit.

The so-called 'pits of the giants' are round cavities dug into the rocks by the water. The sand and pebbles that can be seen in the cavities cause an abrasive effect on the rock, creating beautiful shapes. ✨💦

Beautiful gorge to visit! 🤩 Easily accessible due to the stairs that have been constructed. No long walk required to reach the gorge! 🌿

Very suggestive and reachable with an easy walk.

Easy and panoramic excursion among the most beautiful ravines visited.