Laveno – Sasso del Ferro

Laveno – Sasso del Ferro sits above Lake Maggiore in Lombardy, launching at 1,054 m with two distinct approaches depending on your wing: hang glider pilots use a ramp right by the gondola station, while paragliders face a roughly 15-minute walk from the gondola up to the summit, where the takeoff itself is small and steep. A cable car from Laveno gets everyone most of the way up, cutting out the bulk of the climb. Flyable directions are south-east and south, and the site's one hard rule is impossible to miss: never fly here with wind from the north. Landing more than makes up for the tighter takeoff — it's a huge field shared by hang gliders and paragliders alike, so the arrival end of the flight is about as relaxed as this lake-view site's takeoff is compact.

Launch & conditions

Hang gliders launch from a ramp near the gondola station; paragliders face about a 15-minute walk from the gondola to the summit, where takeoff is small and steep.

Getting there & local rules

A cable car runs up from Laveno, cutting out most of the climb.

Local rules & hazards

Never fly here with wind from the north — that's the one hard rule at this site.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Laveno – Sasso del Ferro, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Laveno – Sasso del Ferro with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.