Verzasca Valley Trail, Ticino, Switzerland

The Matterhorn gets all the ink, but that doesn’t make it the most scenic Alpine spot. Hidden in the overlooked Italian-speaking canton of Ticino is this 18-mile-long trail that runs alongside the turquoise waters of the Verzasca River, accessible via the village of Sonogno. The crowd-free trail passes 13th-century churches and villages, like San Bartolomeo, before reaching the medieval, double-arched Ponte dei Salti (“the jumping bridge”) in Lavertezzo—where locals plunge into the clear green water below. At the base, Ascona’s plush Eden Roc hotel overlooks the Alp-reflecting waters of Lake Maggiore. Rooms, from $312; edenroc.ch.