Lugano is not only the third Swiss financial market, congress, banking and business centre but also the city of parks and flowers, of villas and sacred buildings. With its Mediterranean flair, characterized by the joie de vivre typical of countries of the South, Lugano offers all the advantages of a big city together with the charm of a country town.
Its fame as a cultural centre is due to the extremely high level of important exhibits that are regularly organized in the different museums of the city and region. This very special mixture of Italian atmosphere and Swiss efficiency will undoubtedly charm you as well. The traffic-free centre, the magnificent buildings in Lombard style, the exclusive museums, the climate and the sun, the mountains, the lake and a rich calendar of events attract people to visit, spend their time in leisure and relax. .
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Mediterranean climate |
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Landscape abounding with lush vegetation |
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That special ambience |
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Numerous excursion and sport possibilities |
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A wide range of cuisine |
How to Get There
Every hour there are direct trains to and from Zürich, Luzern, Basel and Milano. The airport of Lugano, which is situated South of the Alps between Zürich and Milan, has two main functions. The first is that of ensuring fast connections between the Insubric region and the main Swiss and European centres; the second is that of making the region easily accessible, both to the numerous tourists and businessmen. Daily connections to: Zürich, Geneva, Venice.
Sightseeing
The unusual shape of Lake Lugano makes it appear to extend arms in every direction and its banks, in part left untouched and in part adorned by picturesque villages, are particularly inviting and have interesting boat trips to offer.
Monte Bre
Take the aerial cableway from Cassarate up to the summit of Monte Bre (Bus No. 1 from the Center of Lugano to Cassarate). A unique opportunity not only to enjoy the magnificent vista far beyond the national border, but to see the entire city of Lugano and its environs lying at your feet. On the summit there are several restaurants with magnificent vantage points on their terraces. A short walk leads down to the village of Bre, which has preserved its old, typical Ticinese village center and even enriched it by adding works of art. Here you can view frescoes by Joseph Birò and Luigi Taddei, sculptures by Pasquale Gilardi and the Museum of Wilhelm Schmid.
Mt. San Salvatore
An aerial cable-car whisks you to the summit. The new panorama car takes tourists in 10 minutes to the peak of San Salvatore. The trains run every half hour from March to November. In the summer the last mountain train to the valley leaves at 11 p.m. From the roof of the church you can enjoy the unique 360 degree panoramic view. From the peak you can descend along the picturesque trail to Ciona (Carona) or hike the loop which - by way of two didactic trails - leads through a nature park, where you are constantly surrounded by the regional flora and fauna.
Casino Lugano
The Lugano Casino is bound to change the lifestyle of the inhabitants and the visitors of the city. Born with the declared and very ambitious aim of becoming one of the four best casinos in the whole of Europe and the first one South of the Alps, it obtained one of the 7 type A concessions for operating an all games casino, for an unlimited number of tables and slot machines. With a panoramic restaurant, five bars and the possibility of organizing banquets with a fantastic view of the lake, it’s much more than a casino. It’s a modern, sophisticated place not only created for gambling but for passing a pleasant evening with quality entertainment.
Swiss Miniatur
Swiss Miniatur is an open-air museum where one can admire the most important Swiss buildings and means of transportation. All the 1:25 scale models are inserted in a 14’000 m2 park, decorated by 15’000 flower varieties and more than 1500 trees. Swiss Miniatur is 5 Km from Lugano and 1 Km from Campione d’Italia. The motorway junctions to and from Lugano are at only 200 m. and 50 m. respectively from the park. The Park is open from March to October.
Insider Tip
A lunch or dinner in a Grotto, a typical restaurant in the Italian part of Switzerland, offering typical Italian meals such as Polenta or a Risotto.
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