Muralto on Lake Maggiore

Muralto lies on Lake Maggiore, on the eastern edge of the Maggia Delta, and has grown together with neighbouring Locarno. S. Vittore and the Vicus di Muralto point to the town’s long history. The memory of the 1925 Locarno Treaties is also part of its history.

Location and getting there

Locarno railway station is in Muralto, making the town easy to reach by public transport. Muralto was connected to the railway in 1874. The station and the lakeside promenade are two distinct points of reference: the station is part of the transport network, while the promenade is for enjoying time by the lake. The lakeside promenade between Locarno and Muralto is about 1.5 kilometres long.

Roman history and S. Vittore

Muralto’s Roman past is especially tangible: the Vicus di Muralto is the best-documented Roman settlement in this region and in the entire canton of Ticino. Excavations connected with it took place in the 1980s in the area around the parish church of San Vittore, near Muralto railway station. Muralto has a long history dating back to the early Roman period.

The collegiate church of S. Vittore is a Romanesque church from the late 11th century, with three naves and three semicircular apses. The oldest significant fresco cycle depicts scenes from Genesis and dates from around 1150. Another datable work is in the main apse: Hans Schmidt painted the fresco depicting Pentecost in 1583. The architectural form, biblical motifs and frescoes from different periods offer varied ways to explore Muralto’s cultural history.

Lakeside paths and plants

The lake offers a different focus. The promenade between Locarno and Muralto features Mediterranean and subtropical plant species, while walks along the lake in Muralto offer far-reaching views. The Giardini Pioda e Rusca provide a distinctive botanical attraction: they have more than a hundred-year-old camellias of heritage varieties, as well as two impressive ginkgo trees. Dark chestnut forests can be found in the wider region. The view thus extends from the path right by the lake to a specific collection of plants and on to the forests in the surrounding area.

The Locarno Treaties and the Percorso della pace

Muralto is also connected with diplomatic history. During the Locarno Treaties in October 1925, delegations stayed at the Grand Hotel and held both official and informal discussions there. The Grand Hotel is a historic place associated with international peace efforts. On the Percorso della pace, the Grand Hotel at Via Sempione 17 in Muralto is the sixth stop; the route commemorates the 1925 Locarno diplomatic conference. This offers two ways to explore contemporary history: through the discussions held at the Grand Hotel in 1925 and through the route’s commemoration of the conference.

Discover more destinations: Vergeletto, Rasa, Sant'abbondio Ti, Borgnone, Locarno, Corippo, Isorno, Sonogno.

Back to the main travel overview: Locarno.