A Charming And Little-Known Medieval Village Nestled In The Alps Is Europe's 'Cliff Diving Capital'

Adventurous travelers should always put Switzerland on their bucket list. The beautiful, mountainous country is known for its superior hiking, skiing, and general love of the great outdoors. If you love a good thrill, you'll be pleased to know that Switzerland is also one of the best places to go if you enjoy cliff diving. While some may shudder at the thought of plunging into water from great heights, you'll find that there are many travelers who are more than happy to take the leap in Brontallo, a picturesque town in southern Switzerland that is practically synonymous with the sport itself.

Brontallo is just 135 miles from Turin, a scenic Italian city surrounded by the Alps that is one of Europe's cheapest and most underrated cities. The small, medieval village is part of Switzerland's Ticino canton (an administrative region or territory), where most residents actually speak Italian over German or French. Brontallo is specifically in the Lavizzara Valley, in the Vallemaggia district, which is known for its alpine lakes, wonderful hiking trails, mild weather, beautiful scenery, and idyllic ancient villages. 

With only about 50 people, most of the town is dedicated to serving tourists. Its breathtaking nature views and stone architecture dating back to the 16th century are some of the most unique features that set it apart from other alpine villages. It's a sleepy town that is probably best known for its world-class cliff diving locations. In fact, it was one of the places that developed and changed the sport in the modern age.

Cliff diving isn't specific to Switzerland. One of the world's best cliff jumping spots is in Oahu, Hawaii, and the sport itself is well-known across the globe. Brontallo is famous for being the location of the first-ever Red Bull Cliff Diving World Championships in 1997. Cliff diving is a sport for experienced divers and swimmers and is not something any person can take on because it can be quite dangerous. 

There are many cliffs in Brontallo where professional cliff divers come to train, and it can be quite exciting to watch them leap, tuck, and dive into the water. There are also diving platforms and cliffs of different heights, including ones that are safer for non-professionals. While the climate is much warmer in Ticino than in the rest of Switzerland, the water can still be very icy (especially depending on what time of the year you visit). The town of Brontallo is also about 30 minutes away from Ponte Brolla, which is particularly famous for being a stunning cliff diving location for professionals with cliff heights of over 98 feet. The International Cliff Diving Championships are held in Ponte Brolla in July.

Of course, those rocky cliffs are also popular with climbers who flock to Brontallo and challenge themselves to scale the town's vertical heights. Climbers enjoy visiting the town's rock wall, called El Cat, which features 10 routes that climbers can conquer. Hikers also stop in Brontallo to explore Ticino and the surrounding Lavizzara Valley. 

Simply exploring the town and taking a look at its unique stone slab structures can also make for a pleasant day. The town features an old church, San Giorgio, which was built in the 15th century, as well as a municipal oven, which was once used by townspeople to bake bread. Agrotourism is also popular in this area, and visitors can also check out the local vineyard and chestnut forest. Since Ticino is Switzerland's sunniest region, outdoor activities are a must when you're there.

Ticino is also full of other towns, some of which are larger than Brontallo and offer more attractions. The town of Cevio is only about a 10-minute drive south of Brontallo and features a history museum dedicated to Valmaggia. Both towns are close to the Foroglio Waterfall. Another 10 minutes north of Brontallo is the town of Lavizzara (named after the valley it's in), which is known for the 17th-century Church of San Giovanni Battista that features some beautiful frescoes and stunning black-and-white marble architecture. Of course, there are many places to eat in Ticino, where you can find a lot of Swiss fare, as well as Italian dishes like pizza, pasta, and local wines.