Lugano is the largest city of the canton of Ticino. It is not only the third of the most important financial centers of Switzerland, where conferences are held and business and banking are developed, but also a city of beautiful flowering parks, elegant villas and ancient church buildings. Lugano is a city with a Mediterranean character, offering all the advantages of a major financial center combined with the charm of a small town.
Lugano is nestled in a bay at the northern end of Lake Lugano, surrounded by mountains with beautiful panoramas and viewpoints. The closed for automobiles old city center, numerous buildings in the Italian, Lombard style, unique museums, mountains, lake and the dense calendar of events attracts travelers – for the enjoyment of picturesque views and a unique atmosphere. and what is called dolce far niente, that is pleasant doing nothing. Due to its mild climate, Lugano is especially popular with travelers in the spring, when the camellias bloom.
The city center with its Mediterranean-style squares, arcades and parks overgrown with subtropical plants (like the Civio Park on the lake shore) invites you to stroll around, soaking up the atmosphere of this resort. On the promenade along the lake are the Belvedere Gardens, where not only camellias and magnolias bloom, but many subtropical plants as well as the works of contemporary artists are on display.
Art connoisseurs come to the cities for the architecture and paintings – the exhibitions here are of a high level. The Museum of Fine Arts owns works by Klee, Javlensky, Renoir and Degas. In the last 50 years the whole Ticino region – and especially Lugano – has developed as important centers of modern architecture. The most famous representatives of the “Ticino School” are Luigi Snozzi and Mario Botta. The EFG Bank AG building on via Franchini, the Rancila Palace on via Pretorio and his own workshop are good examples of Botta’s work.
The two mountains closest to Lugano, San Salvatore and Mont Bré, close in on a fabulous panorama of the city, Lake Lugano and the Alpine meadows. From Mont Bré there is a hiking trail down to the town of Bré, where the typical old town center of Ticino has been preserved. Another popular route leads from San Salvatore down through the beautifully landscaped Carona to Lake Lugano in Morcot. And to return to Lugano, you can take the boat, which is the most beautiful and pleasant way to end the day. You can also take excursions to the fishing village of Gandria, up to Mount San Giorgio, or to the toy country “Switzerland in Miniature” in Melide.
Enjoy the Mediterranean warmth, palm trees and olive trees. If you really want to relax, just sit at a table in one of the outdoor cafes. That’s what everyone does here every day: food, fellowship and joie de vivre.
