Founded in 1253 by Walser settlers coming from the Valais, Bosco Gurin is a beautiful village nestled in the valley basin of the Valle di Bosco, in the Vallemaggia district.

At 1,504 metres above sea level, it is the highest commune in Canton Ticino and the only German-speaking commune in Ticino. Its 60 resident inhabitants are mainly active in agriculture, but also in tourism: Bosco Gurin is in fact one of the most popular ski destinations in the canton. The inhabitants of ‘Gurin’ learn the Walser idiom ‘Ggurijnartitsch’ from an early age and speak it fluently. The link with Walser culture and tradition is evident not only in the spoken language, but also in the traditional architecture made up of peats, old barns, Gadumtschi and traditional houses. The place names also reveal the history of these colonisers of the Alps, with names such as Grossalp, Zum Schwarza Brunna, Bann, Martschenspitz and Ritzberg to name but a few. Finally, there is no shortage of legends, such as the one about the Weltu, a mythical character with his feet turned inside out who lives in the woods around the village. To find out more about the history of this enclave, you can visit the Walserhaus museum. You can take a loop tour from Bosco Gurin to the glacier lakes Schwarzsee and Üssera See. The mountain trail leads over high pastures and rocky slopes to the Bann Alp. Over large boulders, it continues upwards to the Schwarzsee, which owes its name to the very dark colour of its water. During the summer, flocks of sheep are often encountered in this rocky alpine area. We then continue on to the Üssera See, from where we descend to the Üsser and Endra Staful alpine pastures. From there, you return again to Bosco Gurin through the larch forest.