- where to stay - we were thinking of booking a hotel (preferably a small, nice , family owned somewhere with easy access to places around). Would you recommend a place and a hotel? should it be Lugano or Ascona or..
- the idea is to go to the above mentioned places and probably to a few more but I will appreciate a lot suggestions and ideas like what is a must see, hiking paths, events etc.
all type of information will be extremely helpful (probably not just for me )
enjoy your weekend!
Outside Lugano, Belinzona is worth the effort. Nice old town, cathedral and castles and on a sunny day it's nice to have lunch in the square opposite the cahtedral.
I’ve said before on other posts that I’m not a fan of Locarno - it's small and apart from the Piazza Grande there’s not much to see and the lakefront can be a bit scruffy.
Last year we took a day trip across the border into Italy to Lake Como and stopped for lunch in Bellagio. The drive from Lugano to Como isn’t the prettiest but when you hit the lake it’s fantastic scenery. Hope the weather is good for you.
You can see some of my photos from Ticino here:
However, I love the walk from Lugano to Gandria. The first part isn't that exciting but once you get away from the main road, the sidewalk becomes a path that takes you along the lake front and through gorgeous vegetation. Perfect for a springtime awakening.
If you don't mind being close to the station, here's a potentially good choice:
http://www.montarina.com/situazione....pag=situazione
if you really want to be bang in the middle of Lugano, try Hotel Pestalozzi or Hotel Zurigo. They are both near the lake and the main park with bars, shops etc. are all around you.
The Lugano-Gandria walk is certainly worth doing, it doesn't take long and you can always get the boat/bus back if you don't fancy walking back.
For a scenic coffee/apero, try La Rosa dei Venti just across the park and the river. It's run in conjunction with the local yachting club, there is no traffic to look at, just the lake and mountains all around. Bar Lanchetta is another good choice (it's in Cassarate, just ask anyone and they'll tell you how to get there).
Ascona is certainly very pretty but has a somewhat more Germanic feel to it (most signs are bilingual given the number of Swiss/Germans who own properties there or visit regularly).
If you fancy incorporating a bit of Italy, too, why not go down to Como on the Saturday? It's only 30 minutes away (also easily reacheable by train) and has a large outdoor market too for some cheap shopping. Once there, try Gastronomia Castiglioni (near the market) for a spot of lunch. It's a fab deli-cum-restaurant place with excellent food and decent prices.
Whatever you choose to do, welcome to Ticino!
Lorenza
Yeah, I know it isn't Ticino... but still.
There are some beautiful villas on Lake Como that are open to the public.
The view is absolutely breathtaking.
I forgot the name of the restaurant, anyone know?