Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
Gelukt!
Select Page
Intragna: Eating What Grows and Weeds That Take Over the Walls
The train to Intragna is no ordinary train. It climbs and winds its way through the Centovalli, the “valley of a hundred valleys,” until you get off in a village that seems to be glued to the mountainside. I’m in southern Switzerland, in Ticino. This is where Milo Bissegger lives. And when you dine with him, you don’t eat what the menu dictates, but whatever the season and the mountainside have to offer that morning.
It’s one of those experiences I won’t soon forget: a gourmet chef who takes you out into the field, teaches you to look at what most people call weeds, and then serves them up on your plate. As it happens, his aunt became world-famous for that very same weed—but growing meters high on a wall.
A gastronome by training, a botanist by passion
Milo Bissegger grew up in the Centovalli, surrounded by nature. After high school, he graduated from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo—the university that emerged from the international Slow Foodmovement. His thesis focused on the “intelligence” and sensitivity of plants, and what that means for the kitchen.
In 2018, he also earned a field botany certificate from the Swiss Botanical Society. Since then, he has devoted himself to“erbe spontanee”: edible wild plants and flowers. His guiding principle is the Slow Food credo: buono, pulito e giusto—good, clean, and fair. Biodiversity, seasonality, and knowledge of his own region are central to his work.
A Wild Lunch: Eating What Grows
What Milo does can best be described as a walk that ends on your plate. During the course or field trip, you’ll first learn to identify the plants—which ones are edible, which ones are best left alone, and what they taste like. Then you’ll taste them as the main ingredient of the meal. What’s served depends on the season.
I’m learning about the Coca-Cola plant, which came from Asia after 1492, about *Chenopodium album* (lamb’s quarters in Dutch), a weed similar to wild spinach, how to make a vitamin-rich salad with dandelion leaves, and that stinging nettles contain more protein than soy.
Good to know: Milo doesn’t run a traditional restaurant where you can just walk in. You’ll join a class, a foraging excursion, or a workshop (in Italian, German, or English), or arrange a private experience or team-building activity with him.
The “wild lunch” is part of the experience. It’s delicious, by the way, and vegetarian. The homemade sorbet with sorrel for dessert surprisingly tasted like banana. Be sure to make a reservation in advance. His classes fill up quickly.
Mona Caron: The Weeds Come to Life on the Wall
While I was there, I also met Mona Caron, Milo’s aunt. She is a Swiss artist who became a muralist in her second home, San Francisco, and has since become world-famous for one theme: Weeds. In this series, she paints meter-high murals of “weeds”—the neglected plants that push their way up through cracks in the concrete—as a symbol of resilience and resistance.
Her work can be seen on building facades in places such as Brooklyn, São Paulo, Lisbon, Quito, and, closer to home, Mendrisio in Ticino. On Instagram, she collects her plant studies under the hashtags she created herself: #UrbanMacroHerbarium and #Phytograffiti.
And now she’s also at work on walls in Intragna. She shows us the different spots in the village and explains why these forgotten plants are being celebrated. Standing next to a large scaffold, she explains the painting process, carefully placing tape on the areas she’s going to paint. The murals give the sleepy village a modern boost. It reminds me of my experience in the Spanish Pyrenees, where Santi Moix painted his colorful flowers as murals in an abandoned church. Mona Caron’s work is more realistic and less abstract, but no less beautiful.
Your cousin places the wild plants that were left out on your plate. Your aunt arranges them meters high on the wall. Same plants, two art forms.
Intragna and the Centovalli: How to Get There (Without a Car)
Intragna is located along the Centovalli Railway, the narrow-gauge line that connects Locarno with Domodossola, Italy, over a distance of more than fifty kilometers, winding through gorges and over high viaducts. The village is situated in an open valley between two rivers. It’s wonderfully peaceful there in early June. The village has about 900 residents and features the “Avanti avanti” (Come on in) shop on the village square, which sells fresh produce and is open 24/7.
From Locarno, it takes just under half an hour to get there; and the ride itself is an experience. You don’t need a car; with the Ticino Ticket, you can travel for free. You can read about how I made the entire trip without a car in the story about Ticino Without a Car.
Book in Advance
Milo Bissegger offers his courses and excursions in Italian, German, and English, and they’re very popular (the spring course was sold out). Book well in advance at milobissegger.ch and check which experiences are on the schedule during your travel dates.
Practical Information
Location
Intragna, in the Centovalli (Canton of Ticino, Switzerland)
Accessibility
Take the Centovalli train from Locarno (about 30 min); no car needed, free with the Ticino Ticket
Milo Bissegger
Gastronomer & field botanist, specializing in edible wild plants; courses, field trips, workshops, and team-building activities (IT/DE/EN) at milobissegger.ch
Mona Caron
Swiss-American muralist, known for the WEEDS series; works worldwide and in Ticino monacaron.com
Best time
Spring through fall; the selection of plants is at its greatest in late spring and summer
Frequently Asked Questions About Intragna
What exactly does Milo Bissegger do?
Milo Bissegger is a gastronome and field botanist who specializes in edible wild plants and flowers. He offers courses, foraging excursions, and workshops where you can learn to identify, harvest, and taste wild plants. These often conclude with a “wild lunch.”
Can you just drop by Milo Bissegger’s for a meal?
No, it’s not a regular restaurant. You can join a class or excursion, or arrange a private experience with him; the meal featuring wild plants is part of the experience. Be sure to make a reservation in advance through his website, as the classes often fill up quickly.
Who is Mona Caron?
Mona Caron is a Swiss-American muralist and Milo’s aunt. She is known worldwide for her WEEDS series: murals several meters high depicting wild plants as symbols of resilience. Her work can be seen from Brooklyn to São Paulo, and in Ticino, including in Mendrisio and Intragna.
How do you get to Intragna?
Take the Centovalli train from Locarno—it takes about half an hour. You don’t need a car; with the Ticino Ticket, you can travel for free on public transportation throughout the canton.
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
North Karelia: A Road Trip Through the Heart of Finland From Helsinki to the forests and lakes of North Karelia. A round-trip through a region where you can hike away from the crowds, canoes are everywhere, and the sauna is still a part of daily life. Finland had been...
Bear Watching in Slovenia: An Evening in the Observation Hut Near Postojna Bear watching in Slovenia might be closer than you think: in the forests near Postojna, just over an hour from Ljubljana. Nathalie joined us in the observation hut one evening. Slovenia is...
Cycling the Lake Route: 227 kilometers through Switzerland at a leisurely pace The first thing you hear isn’t traffic, but a cowbell. You’re standing in Vevey, on the shores of Lake Geneva; you’ve just dropped off your suitcase at the baggage counter, and for the next...
Peloponnese Hiking Tour
A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
45
Get inspired
Are you looking for the most beautiful hiking and biking routes? Or do you want information about traveling by train or advice for the most beautiful road trips through nature. Get inspired for your next trip in green; ideas for planning your own trip or opting for an organized trip.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Voorkeuren
De technische opslag of toegang is noodzakelijk voor het legitieme doel voorkeuren op te slaan die niet door de abonnee of gebruiker zijn aangevraagd.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.De technische opslag of toegang die uitsluitend wordt gebruikt voor anonieme statistische doeleinden. Zonder dagvaarding, vrijwillige naleving door je Internet Dienst Provider, of aanvullende gegevens van een derde partij, kan informatie die alleen voor dit doel wordt opgeslagen of opgehaald gewoonlijk niet worden gebruikt om je te identificeren.
Marketing
De technische opslag of toegang is nodig om gebruikersprofielen op te stellen voor het verzenden van reclame, of om de gebruiker op een site of over verschillende sites te volgen voor soortgelijke marketingdoeleinden.
