Last updated on July 1st, 2023
San Lorenzo Church, Lugano, Visit Ticino
Visit Ticino
Visit Ticino and see the southern most canton of Switzerland. Your visit to Ticino is like being in Italy. The language here is Italian. You will find palm trees growing along lakes such as Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore, whose shores are shared between Switzerland and Italy. Enjoy the Mediterranean architecture and climate plus the efficiency of the Swiss transportation system. For those staying in the Ticino region, you will receive a Ticino Ticket from your accommodation. The Ticino Ticket offers free rail & buses, plus discounts of 20-30% on boats, museums and gondolas. Otherwise, purchase a Arcobaleno day pass for transit, which is easy to buy on the SBB app.
Bellinzona Castles
The Gotthard Base tunnel makes it possible to travel through the Alps from Altdorf on Lake Lucerne to the town of Bellinzona in just 35 minutes. This rapid, easy route ensures that the canton of Ticino stays well connected with the rest of Switzerland. Visit the 3 UNESCO World Heritage castles in Bellinzona. The Castelgrande, Castello di Montebello and Castello di Sasso Corbaro are all 13th century Italian constructions. All 3 castles are within walking distance of the Bellinzona main station, but you are better off taking the #4 bus to get up to Castello di Sasso Corbaro instead. In summer, you also have the option of taking the Artu “tourist train” to reach the castles from the train station.
From the train station it’s only a 10 minute walk to the entrance to Castelgrande. At Piazza del Sole, use the unique entrance through a slit in the stone wall to catch the elevator up to the grounds of Castelgrande. Walk the old city walls. Then head back down to see the Collegiate Church at the Piazza Collegiata, the Civic Hall at Piazza Nosetto and the Piazza Indipendenza. At the back of the Collegiate Church you will find the walkway up to Castello di Montebello, which takes less than 10 minutes. The last stop on your 3 castle tour is a 25 minute uphill walk from Castello di Montebello to Castello di Sasso Corbaro unless you opt for the Artu Tourist Train ride.
If you love church interiors, add on a 15 minute walk from the Collegiate Church to the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie. Just follow Via Lugano directly the Piazza Indipendenza to Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie. Be careful with your GPS maps though. Italy likes this same name on lots of churches.
Montebello Castle, Bellinzona
Visit Ticino – Lugano
Lugano is the southernmost city in Switzerland. It’s only 1.5 hours from Milan and 2 hours from Zurich. From the train station it’s less than a 5 minute walk to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and see its amazing interior. Then continue another 5 minutes down to the Piazza della Riforma. A funicular that takes a credit card connects tthe train station to the town below, but it doesn’t stop at the church. At the lower funicular station enjoy sandwiches to go at the famous Gabbani shops & restaurant at Via Pessina. One block from the funicular you will find the Manor department store with a food court. At the Piazza della Riforma it’s a few steps to the the Fontana Antonio Bossi at the lakefront. Walk the pedestrian-only Via Canova all the way to Parco Ciani. Then wander the grounds of Villa Ciani and the lakefront promenade of Parco Ciani.
Visit Ticino – Monte San Salvatore
Take a 15 minute lakefront promenade stroll from Lugano to the boat landing at Paradiso. Along the way don’t miss the shops on Via Nassa and the interior of the Chiesa Santa Maria degli Angioli. Circle behind the church to find the covered archways lined with paintings. Beside the church enjoy the sculptures on the exterior of the Grand Palace apartments.
From Paradiso walk inland one block and south two blocks to reach the funicular station for Monte San Salvatore. Ride two stops to reach the mountain viewpoints over Lake Lugano and the city. The best view is from the top of the Church of San Salvatore al Monte.
For another view of Lugano, catch the funicular at Cassarate behind the Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola. Ride the funicular up to Monte Brè for great views of Lugano and the lake.
Visit Ticino – Gandria
Take a 15 minute boat ride from Lugano to Gandria. Wander the alley ways and visit the church. Hike along the Sentiero di Gandria lakefront pathway west toward Lugano for 25 minutes to reach the olive trees and Villa Heleneum. Enjoy the views along the way. Catch the #490 bus in Castagnola or retrace your lakefront walk back to Gandria. In Gandria you can continue your adventure by boat cruise or catch the #490 bus at the Paese stop above the village.
Visit Ticino – Morcote
Take a scenic 1 hour boat ride to visit the picturesque village of Morcote. Then after your visit, cruise back or return to Lugano by train and bus. You can also stop along the way in Melide to see the Swissminatur attraction. At the Lugano tourism office in Piazza della Riforma, check out a number of restaurant (Grotti) cruises to various destinations on Lake Lugano.
Ponte dei Salti, Val Verzasca, Visit Ticino
Visit Ticino – Locarno
Visit Ticino to see Locarno on Lake Maggiore, which is about one hour by train from Lugano. You can get to Locarno from Zurich in about 3 hours by travelling through the Gotthard Base Tunnel to Bellinzona. The Centovallina railway line allows you to access Locarno from Domodossola and the canton of Valais to the west. The Verzasca and Bavona valleys run north from Locarno into the foothills of the Alps, which provide many opportunities to visit small Italian style villages made entirely of stone.
Locarno offers a lakefront promenade, but vehicle traffic parallels the pathway and separates you from the restaurants and shops. Piazza Grande is the largest town square in Switzerland. It’s a couple blocks inland from the lakefront. The old town extends west from the Piazza and includes the ancient Castello Visconteo. If you continue east along the waterfront, you eventually lose all the vehicle traffic and you can enjoy a peaceful stroll for nearly a half hour.
Locarno Funiculars, Gondolas & Chairlifts
Between the train station and Piazza Grande, take a cash only funicular all the way to the Madonna del Sasso church. The funicular station at the church is next door to the gondola from Orselina to Cardada and then continue on the two person chairlift to Cimetta. From Cimetta you can see the Alps in the canton of Valais to the west.
Piazza della Riforma, Lugano, Visit Ticino
Locarno – Other Sights
- Head south along the promenade past Giardini Rusca between the casino and the lakefront. Continue on to Camellia Park & Beach. A couple of blocks inland on your route you will find the Pedrazzini Fountain.
- Travel 1.5 hours to the Gambarogno Botanical Park.
- Travel an hour by train west to the village of Re to see the Sanctuary of Our Lady Blood which became a pilgrimage site after a picture of the Madonna began to bleed.
Visit Ticino – Ascona
In summer, take a boat ride or 15 minute bus ride from Locarno to Ascona, which is on the opposite bank of the Maggia River from Locarno. Enjoy the lakefront restaurants along the promenade without any vehicle traffic. Sit on a Swing of the World at the lakefront. Wander the narrow pedestrian-only streets, staircases and alleyways. See the nearby Church of Saints Peter and Paul. You can also continue on by boat from Ascona to the botanical gardens on the Brissago Islands.
Verzasca Valley Stone Villages
Consider wandering through one of the stone villages of the Verzasca Valley. Travel on the #321 bus or rent a car. Be aware that parking can be an issue for cars at the height of the tourist season. If you travel by bus you will need to plan carefully, as buses typically run every hour, but sometimes there are 2 hour gaps. You likely can only visit one village if you choose the bus.
- Consider getting out at the Diga Verzasca bus stop on your way up the Verzasca Valley in order to walk out on the Verzasca Dam. You can easily see the dam and catch the next bus an hour later.
- Lavertezzo – Continue up the Verzasca Valley on bus #321 for 45 minutes from Locarno to the village of Lavertezzo. Walk over the double arched Ponte dei Salti stone bridge, popular for jumping into the Verzasca River. Enjoy the unusual stone banks carved by the clear, cold waters. Try to time your visit early in the day, as this has become an extremely popular tourist destination with younger crowds. Hike up the river valley or on to the old valley trails to escape the crowds.
- Corripo – walk in from the Corripo Bivio bus stop or hike just over an hour between Lavertezzo and Corripo.
- Ponte Verzasca – another bridge over the Verzasca River at the Brione, Ganne bus stop
- Sonogno – at the head of the valley, almost 2 hours from Locarno on the #321 bus. Enjoy the stone buildings, have lunch and hike to see the La Froda waterfall too.
Piazza Collegiata, Bellinzona
Bavona Valley
You can ride the train for 12 minutes from Locarno to Pontebrolla, but after that you will need to ride the #315 bus through the Maggia Valley to reach the Bavona Valley. With many villages to see, the schedule for buses is not great. So consider walking from Sabbione to Foroglio and possibly Roseto. Pay careful attention to the bus schedule for your return. If you choose to drive a vehicle, the area is so popular in summer that you may have difficulty finding parking anywhere.
- Fontana – bus stop 6 minutes past the start of the Bavona Valley. Walk back down the road to the Steinbrücke Bavona, the Old Roman Stone Bridge which is at the roadside.
- Sabbione – hobbit-like stone village along the roadside with a convenient bus stop. Sabbione is a 20 minute walk down river from Foroglio.
- Foroglio – very popular stone village and waterfall. Take the direct trail to the base of the falls or hike from the village up the steep trail to the top of the falls. Then follow the Calnegia Valley trail to the stone houses and the picturesque stone bridge over the river.
- Roseto – small stone village at the roadside with a convenient bus stop. Roseto is a 15 minute walk up river from Foroglio.
- Sonlerto – large stone village at the top of the valley with a convenient bus stop.
- Funivia San Carlo-Robiei – end of the line for local buses. Ride the gondola to Albergo-Ristorante Robiei at the dam site of Lake Robiei. You can stay overnight at the hotel / restaurant.
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