REGION

From the rocky summit of Monte San Giorgio, at 1,097 m, the view sweeps from Monte Rosa to Monte Generoso, from the Lepontine Alps to the Apennines, from Lugano and Morcote to Varese and Milan. The Mount, with its chestnut forests, its steep slopes toward the lake and its gentle slopes toward the southern light, is not particularly distinguishable from the many other mountains that surround the lakes of northern Italy and the Swiss lakes. It is necessary to go beyond the gaze to discover that in its bowels it holds secret, unique and universally valuable relics. Memories of other geological times, memories of a sea, the Tethys, whose ancient history is revealed to us today right here on Mount San Giorgio.


The Swiss side of Monte San Giorgio is located in the Mendrisiotto and Lower Ceresio region, in the southern part of Canton Ticino, the last strip of Swiss territory whose most distinctive values it boasts. The Italian side of Monte San Giorgio, on the other hand, is located in the province of Varese, in that well-known area of Italian territory commonly referred to as the Lake Zone. Easy to reach because they are located along the north-south axis that crosses the Alps, the Italian-Swiss territories in which Monte San Giorgio is inserted are imbued with Swiss values and Italian culture and propose numerous cultural, artistic, naturalistic and eno-gastronomic tourist offers.

Beneath the vineyards, chestnut groves, gladioli, cyclamen, holly, and all the rarities of its flora, Mount St. George conceals geological and paleontological features unique in the world in terms of the exceptionality and perfect preservation of fossils of marine reptiles and fish, as well as rare terrestrial and plant species dating back 240 million years. The only place in the world where we find such evidence.