The Park, whose area is 1.5 km2, extends along the river of the same name for about 1.5 km; it touches the villages of Balerna, Castel San Pietro, Morbio Inferiore and Morbio Superiore.

It was planned in the 80s by the Cantonal Natural History Museum, which suggested setting up a natural park in the lower Muggio Valley within the scope of the Cantonal Governing Plan.

Numerous components, both natural and human, are present in the Park, but the particular geological contents of the Breggia Gorge make it one of the most important geo-topes in Switzerland and the first Swiss geo-park.

Along this part of the river the natural section created by the excavation of the water has brought to light a geology profile that is almost continuous between the Jurassic and the Tertiary periods (more than 80 million years).

Numerous pieces of evidence of ancient seas are present in the rocks of the Gorge: layers extremely rich in fossils, remains of underwater landslides, witness to climatic changes in eras long before  man appeared on Earth, and proof of volcanic eruptions.

These remains have enabled the evolution in very remote times of this part of the territory – the Basin of Monte Generoso – to be reconstructed; then the Alps as we know them did not exist and the rocks of which they are now composed were to be found at a depth of thousands of metres in the earth’s crust or on the bed of remote oceans.
The Park also has flora and fauna of value, among which many are protected species or are registered in Red Lists. 

The historical-cultural wealth of the district includes the Red Church (14th century) and the Castle (12th Century) situated in Castel San Pietro’s territory, as well as parts of historical roads.

The Church is a monument of national interest, in its area finds dating back to the end of the 4th or beginning of the 5th century B.C have been discovered.

The old industrial buildings and those for the production of mechanical energy – mills, cement factory, brewery – indicate that man used the waters of the Breggia as early as the 17th century.

The Ghitello Mill (1606) is of particular value, its wheels began to turn again after more than 40 years of inactivity.

In order to create the network of paths, about 6 km long and with a difference of 300 metres in height, among other things it was necessary to rebuild the Farügin Bridge, the old passage way between the two sides of the valley at a height of 400 metres. The bridge, which was rebuilt corresponding to the old parapets, offers an impressive view point in the heart of the Gorge.

The ideal starting point for a visit and to study the Breggia Gorge is the old Ghitello Mill, which is just behind the parking area of the Shopping Centre, Centro Breggia, in Balerna.
The walk through the Park begins by the side of the small lake and continues along the river to the old cement factory, an iron bridge, the plant of the pasta factory (brewery) and the big cement factory, Saceba.

Once you have passed the cement factory you cross the river and climb the Val della Magna to reach the top of the hill called San Pietro, where the remains of the medieval castle and the Red Church can be seen.

From here there is a lovely view of the whole Park. You go down again into the valley crossing over areas subject to landslides and reach the old road, which was built around 1820.

After crossing the bridge called Punt da Canaa you reach the bed of the river and the remains of the Canaa Mill.

Above, in a straight line almost, you can see the new bridge of Castel San Pietro, which, in 1997, replaced the one built in iron in 1912. From this position you can observe the composition of the woods. This is also the highest point and now the descent begins.

Clearly stratified rocks are visible in the bed of the river as you walk along the part of the path which goes from the Canaa Mill to the Ghitello. In this part of the walk are the oldest rocks in the Park; these are flint limestone from 190 million years ago.

Going down by the torrent they become richer in clay and fossils (ammonites); please note that it is dangerous and forbidden to climb down and look for these.

The red layers of the Ammonitico Formation and the underwater landslide can easily be seen at the end of the descent, on the bank opposite, before the Farügin Bridge.

A new bridge, replacing the old one (the Farügin Bridge), crosses the deep, narrow gorge – the Buzun del Diavul – and you go down the right-hand side of the gorge to its end, always walking along beside the rocky strata.

Here you come across reddish Radiolarians, Haptic Limestone and then the large limestone quarry on the right.

Once at the bottom you continue on the right-hand bank alongside the series of Scaglia, at times on a difficult narrow ledge, and also through some special biotopes. There is an interesting view from this point, too.

The path continues in the wood following the wide bend in the river from above and crossing vast landslide areas before going down to the road at river-level and back to the Ghitello Mill, where the most recent deposits (Tertiary and Quaternary) can be seen.