Switzerland's Smallest Village Is A Fairytale Hidden In The Alps With Cobbled Streets And Picturesque Charm

Switzerland is known for its imposing Alpine reputation and picturesque cities like Zurich, which has the world's cleanest air. Many of the prettiest and most iconic destinations in Switzerland are testaments of grandeur, from national parks in the Alps to towering medieval monasteries. But some of its best places to visit, and where true Swiss charm lies, is in the small villages dotted among these impressive wonders. In fact, the smallest among these, Corippo — with just around a dozen residents — is a beautiful destination with a combination of scenery and history that more than makes up for its humble size.

Corippo lies in the Verzasca Valley, in the Italian-speaking Ticino region of Switzerland. Though only a handful of people call it home, Corippo is federally protected as a historic site, with 18th-century homes, a Baroque church, and an "albergo diffuso," or scattered hotel, which allows visitors to stay in rooms across six historic residences that have been long uninhabited. Plus, outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to do around Corippo and the Verzasca Valley, from hiking in the hilltops to kayaking through gorges.

Corippo's roots go back 700 years, with the town peaking in the mid-1800s when it had around 300 residents. It once played a special role in textile trade as a producer of flax and has since been listed in the Swiss Heritage Site Inventory. There's one church in the village, the Church of the Blessed Virgin of Carmel, that was built in the early 17th century, with a bell tower protruding over the town and winding stone lanes. Its homes — many of which remain unchanged from their construction centuries ago — were made from local granite, and now, with the village's albergo diffuso, you can stay overnight in one of them.

By the mid-20th century, Corippo lost most of its residents, and repopulation was off the table. "The original idea to bring back permanent inhabitants was [no longer] feasible, because the buildings are too small and not directly inaccessible [sic] by car," Fabio Giacomazzi, president of the local Fondazione Corippo 1975 foundation, told CNN. Instead, the foundation came up with the idea of attracting visitors by establishing a scattered hotel. The village's smallness, for the sake of the hotel concept, is to its benefit. "We hope that our guests take advantage of the deep calm that reigns here," said Désirée Voitle, manager of the Corippo Albergo Diffuso, in Smithsonian Magazine. The hotel's rooms are sprinkled around a few restored homes in the village. Corippo's only restaurant, the Corippo Osteria, doubles as the hotel lobby.

After you check into the Corippo Albergo Diffuso, come back to Corippo Osteria for a taste of Southern Alpine cuisine. The restaurant sits on Corippo's main piazza, with views across the Verzasca Valley. Its chef, Jeremy Gehring (also the hotel manager's husband), has assembled a rotating menu of locally inspired dishes like gnocchi with Alpine cheese cream and braised beef served with polenta made at the village's mill.

Down at the restored mill, which you can reach by a short path from the village center, the hotel serves apéritifs by natural blue pools in the canyon. All around the glacier valley and the Verzasca River that runs through the village, outdoor activities reign aplenty. Hiking is a boon. Travel blogger Zoe in her blog Together in Switzerland recommends hiking from Corippo to the Ponte dei Salti bridge: "It's a lovely route where you can experience the village and nature along the way," she wrote. The bridge itself is a beautiful, double-arched medieval relic crossing the emerald waters of the Verzasca that's a must-see. People love to jump from the bridge into the river.

Corippo is best reached by bus since car parking is extremely limited. Many start from Lugano, one of the most romantic destinations in Switzerland and easy to reach from Milan, Italy (just over an hour away by train or car) or Zürich, Switzerland (two hours away by train). From Lugano, you take a 25-minute train to Tenero, then transfer to a bus and ride 25 more minutes to the Corippo station. The village center is a 15- to 20-minute walk from the bus stop.