Switzerland Guide
Zentralschweiz
The Gotthard Pass
The most famous of all the Alpine passes, the St Gotthard or San Gottardo (2108m) is also the most memorable to visit. The turbulent Schöllenen Gorge, a few kilometres north of Andermatt, was first bridged in the thirteenth century, allowing traffic to penetrate up the full length of the Reuss valley from Flüelen to the pass itself, from where a continuation road followed the valley of the River Ticino all the way south to Bellinzona and Milan. Today, three daily buses (July– Sept only) follow the new road from Andermatt up to the pass and on down to Airolo. The old cobbled road, which branches off partway up, is much quieter and more picturesque. Both meet on top, where you'll find a wild windswept spot with a handful of buildings clustered around a small lake. The pass is one of Europe's watersheds: rain or snowmelt on the north side ultimately ends up in the Rhine and the North Sea, while moisture on the south side flows into the Po and the Mediterranean.
The old hospice beside the road now houses the engaging Museo Nazionale del San Gottardo (May– Oct daily 9am–6pm; Fr.9; SMP), which outlines the history of the pass with models, reliefs, paintings and audiovisual slide-shows. Across the road, there are simple modern rooms available at the often-busy 
Albergo San Gottardo ( 
091 869 12 35, 
www.gotthard-hospiz.ch ; Price: Fr.100-150; May– Oct). From the pass, most traffic follows the new road down to Airolo, but the old cobbled road that snakes down behind the albergo off the back of the pass into Ticino is truly spectacular, with terrific vistas all the way down into the Val Tremolo ("Valley of Trembling").