Grooved ridges run down one end of this massive bowl cut away between the mountain tops while on the other end stretches the barely restrained expanses of Lake Vogorno. Standing on the edge of Contra Dam, or Verzasca Dam as it’s also known, it might even seem like you’re tempting fate by holding back the raw energy held within the subtly shifting, swirling waters of the lake.

There are however the days when the dam’s gates are flung open, a million gallons of water emptied out into the land beyond in a spray of white foam and raging fury. This was why the dam was first built in 1965, a source of hydroelectric power harnessed from the lake’s height 220m above ground to light up the region. With the imposing ring of mountains staring down at you no matter which way you turn, you are bound to feel a giddy jolt as a small spec in the landscape and the extensive walkway stretching off to either side. A small museum has its doors open throughout the day to entertain the questions one might have of how this man-made beast came to be all those years ago. But perhaps the dam is best known for its feature in Agent 007’s Golden Eye. Without fail, thrill seekers and daredevils hold their lives in their hands and leap off the dam headfirst or even with their back to the fall as they attempt to replicate James Bond’s famous bungee jump into the depths. A heart of steel would definitely be required to overcome these gates of concrete.