--- okf_version: "0.2" type: "Article" title: "Rustico Castello del Sole – Lunching between Heaven and Earth" description: "Living up their motto \"Best of Castello\" the hotel Castello del Sole offers a noontime excursion to the hotel-owned Rustico. What an experience!" resource: "https://travelmemo.com/switzerland/rustico-castello-del-sole-ascona" language: en translation: { lang: de, resource: "https://reisememo.ch/schweiz/rustico-del-sole-ascona" } author: "Katja Birrer" publisher: "Travelmemo" photo_count: 16 tags: ["Experience", "Luxury", "Restaurant", "Switzerland"] entities: - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/switzerland" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/tessin" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/lago-maggiore" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/luxury-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/restaurant" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culinary-tourism" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/excursion-tips" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/air-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/organizations/swiss-international-air-lines" - "https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer" generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2026-07-27T20:19:35+00:00 } verified: - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2017-05-01T19:07:03+00:00 } sources: - id: photos resource: rustico-castello-del-sole-ascona.md#photos title: "Original photography by Walter Schärer" author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer" last_modified: 2017-04-08 timestamp: 2026-07-27T20:19:35+00:00 --- # Rustico Castello del Sole – Lunching between Heaven and Earth > Rustico del Sole is a remote, electricity-free mountain cottage restaurant owned by Castello del Sole in Ascona, Switzerland, reached by helicopter and perched at nearly 1,000 meters with sweeping views from the Verzasca Dam to Lago Maggiore. ## Destination Above Brione sopra Minusio, approximately 5 km from the Verzasca Dam, in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, at an altitude of nearly 1,000 meters. ## Getting there The only practical access is by helicopter; Castello del Sole operates its own heliport and arranges flights with Swiss Helicopters. The excursion is not included in the standard room rate and is described as not inexpensive. ## Why visit A rare combination of dramatic alpine scenery and rustic fine dining: traditional Ticino food cooked without electricity, wines from the hotel's own Terreni alla Maggia estate, and panoramic views stretching from the James Bond Verzasca Dam across the Maggia delta to Lago Maggiore and the Brissago islands. ## What to see - **Panoramic view from the Rustico terrace** — Sweeps from the Verzasca Dam over the Maggia delta to Lago Maggiore and the Brissago islands. - **Verzasca Dam** — The 220-meter dam famous as the site of James Bond's bungee jump in GoldenEye, visible during the helicopter flight. - **Cliff-edge helipad** — A dramatic landing spot on the mountain ridge directly beside the Rustico. ## What to do - **Helicopter excursion from Castello del Sole** — Flights depart from the hotel's own heliport in Ascona and are arranged through Swiss Helicopters. - **Traditional Ticino lunch at the Rustico** — Chef de cuisine Mattias Roock serves regional antipasti, polenta ragout, and apple cake from his grandmother's recipe, all prepared without electricity. - **Wine tasting from Terreni alla Maggia** — The hotel's estate produces Merlot, Chardonnay, Kerner, Bondola, and grappa; it is also the only place in Switzerland where rice is cultivated. ## Good to know The Rustico has no electricity. At the time of writing, the hotel planned to expand it to accommodate up to six overnight guests by 2018. The excursion is an add-on not covered by the standard room rate. ## Photos ```yaml photos: - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-3.jpg" caption: "Vorbeiflug an der James Bond Verzasca-Staumauer" keywords: ["Ascona", "Staumauer", "Tessin", "Verzasca"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1907, longitude: 8.8425} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-2.jpg" caption: "Vorbereitungen zum Grotto-Flug in Castello del Sole" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Swisshelicopter", "Tessin"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1527, longitude: 8.7936} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole.jpg" caption: "Crew von Swisshelicopter mit Hoteldirektor Jenny" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Damiano Talleri", "Hoteldirektor", "Pilot", "Simon Jenny", "Swisshelicopter", "Tessin"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1527, longitude: 8.7936} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-24.jpg" caption: "Helikopterlandung im Castello del Sole" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Damiano Talleri", "Swisshelicopter", "Tessin"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1528, longitude: 8.7936} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-22.jpg" caption: "Walter an vorderster Front in Aktion" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Damiano Talleri", "Swisshelicopter", "Tessin", "Walter Schärer"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1525, longitude: 8.7936} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-27.jpg" caption: "Katja und Walter auf dem Rückflug" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Katja Birrer", "Swisshelicopter", "Tessin", "Walter Schärer"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1525, longitude: 8.7939} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-5.jpg" caption: "Apéro mit Aussicht auf Lago Maggiore" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Lago Maggiore", "Rustico", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-7.jpg" caption: "Helipad vor dem Grotto und Lago Maggiore" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Lago Maggiore", "Rustico", "Swisshelicopter", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-15.jpg" caption: "Chefkoch Mattias Roock im Grotto Castello del Sole" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Chefkoch", "Lago Maggiore", "Mattias Roock", "Rustico", "Swisshelicopter", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-20.jpg" caption: "Tische auf Terrasse vor dem Grotto" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Esstisch", "Rustico", "Sonnenterrasse", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-6.jpg" caption: "Mittagessen mit Aussicht" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Esstisch", "Rustico", "Sonnenterrasse", "Tessin"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-14.jpg" caption: "Weinabfüllung aus den Terreni alla Maggia" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Rotwein", "Rustico", "Terreni alla Maggia", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-10.jpg" caption: "Dessert-Vorbereitung im Grotto" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Dessert", "Rustico", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-16.jpg" caption: "Kaffee kochen ohne Strom..." keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Moka Express", "Rustico", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Rustico-Castello-del-Sole-17.jpg" caption: "Grappa aus den Terreni della Maggia" keywords: ["Ascona", "Castello del Sole", "Rustico", "Tessin", "https://reisememo.ch/?p=15788"] captured: 2017-04-08 geo: {latitude: 46.1921, longitude: 8.8142} credit: "Walter Schärer" ```