On the hill above the village of Ascona, discover the history and rarity of Monte Monescia, renamed Monte Verità (the Mount of Truth), which became a magnet for those seeking an “alternative” lifestyle in the 1900s. Walk through a beautiful forest of birch trees and ferns to reach the hill called Balladrum where a fortified redoubt, dating from the La Tène period (Iron Age), once stood. This rather high and steep hill spawned popular legends recounting the existence of a turreted city and gatherings of witches. After lunch, we delve into the Maia Forest Park in Arcegno. The Park is characterized by a forest left entirely to natural evolution (unique in Ticino), which allows us to enjoy all the infinite variety of perspectives that only an “ancient forest” offers.