The Simplon road starts in Brig, in the white wine region of Valais. The Southern part of the mountain lies in Italy. From the market town Domodossola, the road continues to Valle Vigezzo and Centovalli, it ends on the shores of Lake Maggiore. There are certainly shorter ways to come to Ticino, but no one offers such a breathtaking sight.
The Simplon Pass connects the Rhone Valley with the Val d'Ossola-Lake Maggiore. The pass, open for most of the winter, is known as one of the most beautiful Alpine crossings!
The name Centovalli ("Hundred Valleys") comes from the over hundred streams rushing down the steep mountain flanks and forming steep gorges. Extensive forests cover the mountain slopes, through which the river Melezza carved through centuries of diligent work. The villages have been built on the few plateaus, mainly on the Northern sunny side.
The road was completed in 1890 with 150 curves hanging on the steep valley side, below, the deep Melezza River flows. The Centovalli train from Locarno to Domodossola was built between 1913 and 1923. The little train (Centovallina) runs for 50 kilometers around 80 viaducts and through 30 tunnels.
Simplon-Pass
Altitude: 2005 m.s.l.
Connects: Wallis und Italien
Valley locations: Brig und Domodossola
Built: 1805
Max. gradient: 9%
Winter closing: open all year long
