If the Verzasca Valley is remote then the village of Cabiói is obscure. In order to get to Cabiói you go to the end of the road at Sonogno and then continue up the valley on dirt trails a few more kilometers.

Cabiói is home to a natural sheep dairy farm. The sheep roam and graze along the grass hills. The sheep’s milk is made into cheese and aged in natural stone refrigerators. These rusticos are some of the oldest in the area and were built around the 1700s by farmers and shepherds to house themselves and their livestock.

Identity Crisis

From April through August, the region suffers an identity crisis. The 20th century saw a revival of the Rustici as a weekend getaway for sea level locals or those with familial roots. About 10 or so years ago, outdoor adventurers began posting photos and videos of the area and the secret was out. Entrepreneurial locals cater to tourists by renting their ancient stone houses and setting up kiosks set on the roadside. This influx of visitors props up the economy but also brings trash, many vehicles and severely stresses the fragile infrastructure. Traffic jams on the narrow roads are common as there is only 1 road in and out. Locals debate how and what to do. Developers are eager to build up the area and have proposed transforming an entire village into an exclusive 5 star destination resort.

Going up the Verzasca Valley, the village of Corippo springs out almost suddenly after passing the town of Vogorno, in the vicinity of San Bartolomeo. The tiny, stone ghost town of Corippo plans a revival since the former 300 inhabitants and is down to 12 or 13 old timers. Grand plans are on the drawing board to transform the entire stone village into luxury lodging. The majority of guests will travel by bus while the sturdy can hike 1,968 feet above sea level to Corippo. If the townspeople get their way, the village to hotel conversion will take years but will provide many jobs for the locals.