Isone: Mountain Trails, Panoramas and Cultural Heritage

Isone is a municipality in the Bellinzona district in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Nature and mountain trails, the panoramic view from Cima Matro and protected cultural heritage are central to planning your trip. You can tailor your stay to your interests: exploring the landscape, visiting a viewpoint, or discovering religious and military history. In Isone, you can experience different sides of the municipality, from nature to historically significant buildings.

Nature Trails and Activities

Isone has numerous trails for walks in nature and the mountains. Mountain biking routes include sections on paved roads as well as gravel roads and trails. The surfaces therefore range from paved roads to gravel roads and trails. When choosing between a walk and a bike ride, the activity and surface offer different considerations for planning. Nature and mountain scenery are the focus of the walking trails, while the condition of the routes is also a practical point of comparison for mountain biking.

You can find an overview of Isone’s main trails on a map in front of the patrician house at the Isone paese PostBus stop. It provides a point of reference as you plan your activities. In the town center, there is a bicycle charging station next to the church. If you are staying with your bike, you can use both the trail map and the charging station as practical points of reference.

The ZPP 1 Matro–Alpe del Tiglio landscape conservation zone is a shared area open to the public for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle traffic, while respecting private property rights. The permitted uses of this landscape area are clearly defined: recreation and travel on foot or by bicycle are allowed, while private property rights are respected. Keep both aspects in mind when making your plans.

Panoramic Views from Cima Matro

Since summer 2023, there has been a panoramic swing at Cima Matro in Isone. From there, you can look out over the Magadino plain, and there is a picnic table next to the swing. You can plan your day around different highlights: at Cima Matro, the view and picnic table take center stage, while the trails offer opportunities to explore nature and the mountains. This lets you decide whether you would rather spend your time at a viewpoint or on the trails.

Religious and Military Heritage

Protected cultural heritage sites are assigned different classifications. The bell tower of the parish church of S. Lorenzo is protected as a cultural property of cantonal importance; the Cappella “Maestà” is protected as a cultural property of local importance. Above the village of Isone, the fortifications on Monte Ceneri are of national importance because of their historical and architectural quality and military features. The classifications therefore range from local and cantonal protection to national importance. Religious buildings and military installations offer different insights into Isone’s cultural heritage.

The ForTI – Fortificazioni Ticinesi project’s educational trail 05 Monte Ceneri–Cima di Medeglia–Alpe del Tiglio also passes through the municipality of Isone. Its title points to the theme of Ticino’s fortifications and adds a named educational trail to the cultural perspective. Together with the protected buildings, this theme offers a different way to explore the area than the walking and mountain biking trails.

Tradition at the Cappella Maestà

The 2026 municipal calendar listed a traditional Eucharistic celebration in honor of the Madonna Assunta at the Cappella Maestà on August 15, followed by lunch; the date has already passed.

Discover more destinations: Camorino, Carasso, Gudo Ti, Gnosca, Giubiasco, Sementina, Lumino Ti, Cadenazzo.

For the broader travel overview: Bellinzona.