Tourism
Mild climate, natural beauty and cultural-artistic heritage make Lugano a popular destination for tourists coming from beyond the Gotthard, from neighboring Italy as well as from much more distant locations.
The city overlooks a beautiful lake - which can be skirted, for example, by walking along the Gandria path (rich in plant and animal species, even rare ones) - and is surrounded by mountains from which one can enjoy fantastic views, while the streets of the historic center allow one to stroll among Lombard-style buildings, museums, cultural centers, boutiques and stores for all budgets. Parks, playgrounds, lidos and swimming pools also allow visitors to take advantage of outdoor activities.
A packed calendar of events and happenings throughout the year further enriches the offerings of a Lugano suitable for all, lovers of relaxation, culture and recreation.
What to do
The city offers a wide variety of leisure (walking, sports, wellness, shopping) and cultural activities, as well as a large number of events.
More information on the Lugano Region website.
The Santa Maria degli Angeli in 3D project is an augmented reality experience that in a little more than 30 minutes allows visitors to discover one of Lugano's iconic areas: the LAC, the adjacent Santa Maria degli Angioli church and convent, the former Grand Hotel Palace, and the funicular that led to Loreto until 1987.
The journey begins at the LAC Book Shop, where special glasses and headphones are provided. Then from Piazza Luini we move to the cloister of the Franciscan convent and continue in front of the facade of the former Grand Hotel Palace to learn more about its history. We then move to the church, which thanks to Bernardino Luini's Passion and Crucifixion is the most important Renaissance monument in Switzerland. Looking toward the Angioli funicular, images and narratives of the Lugano of the grand hotels start. The route ends again at the LAC, the city's cultural centre.
Days and times
- Tue-Fri 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
- Sat 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Sun 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Monday closed
Entry
- CHF 10 for adults
- CHF 5 for children
For more information please contact the LAC Shop (+41 91 908 02 82, [email protected]).
A tour of Lugano aboard the La Freccia Rossa tourist train makes it easy to discover the beauty of the city and its surroundings. From its wagons, for example, you can admire Monte Brè and San Salvatore, the Casino, Palazzo dei Congressi, Villa Ciani, the Art Museum and the lakeside.
Special group rides can be booked (four small trains with a maximum capacity of 50 people per vehicle).
Gastronomy - restaurants
A gastronomically privileged region, Ticino and Lugano offer excellent restaurants awarded by the most important gastronomic guides, as well as typical grotti and cuisines from various corners of the world.
More information on GastroTicino.
Accommodation
In Lugano it is possible to stay overnight in luxury hotels as well as in guesthouses, while hostels are available for young people. There is no shortage of campgrounds and agritourisms around the city.
More information on accommodations.
Two cards are available for guests in Lugano's accommodations that provide discounts and benefits: Ticino Ticket and Holiday Card.
The Ticino Ticket is given to guests staying at least one night in hotels, youth hostels and campgrounds. It allows guests to use public transportation from Airolo to Chiasso free of charge and receive attractive discounts on boats (20% on the daily boat card on Lake Lugano), ski lifts and major tourist attractions in the Canton (20-30% on museums, theaters, parks, lidos, etc.).
More information at www.ticino.ch.
The Holiday Card is a free card-sized discount card that allows tourists to visit the Lake Lugano region at advantageous prices. By requesting the card at the front desk of the property where they are staying, tourists can take advantage of discounts on guided tours, transportation, lidos, culture, sports and more.
Read more about Lugano Region.
Meeting
Lugano is an ideal place to organize events and conferences that can develop business. In fact, several conference halls, an exhibition center, business meeting facilities, teambuilding activities or other recreational programs are available (support services for organizing these activities can be found in the area).
The English version of this page was created with the aid of automatic translation tools and may contain errors and omissions.
The original version is the page in Italian.