A Weekend in Lugano: Switzerland’s Little Italy

Lugano is for many a perfect resort, sitting on the edge of a lake so large it resembles the sea, but with mountains across the sparkling water. The main business is banks (there are nearly 100 of them) but the fresh air, parklands and waters make it a pleasant place for a short stay.

It's the principal resort of Switzerland's southern canton, Ticino, but you'd be forgiven for thinking this is Italy. The rest of Switzerland speaks mostly German in a variety of dialects, but here they speak Italian. The food's Italian, the ambience is Italian, the shops are Italian. Ticino is surrounded on three sides by Italy and tens of thousands of Italians cross the border every day to work here. In fact if you stare out over the lake on the other side you can see Campione which is still Switzerland, but is legally a commune of Italy, it's principal claim to fame being one of Europe's largest casinos.

How to get to Lugano

Milan is only an hour away so geographically speaking a flight to Malpensa or Linate, the city's two airports, makes sense. BA, Alitalia, and EasyJet have daily flights. Ryanair fly to Bergamo. Trains to Lugano from Milan city centre are fast and frequent, but from the airports a hire car is best.

If you're coming from another part of Switzerland, the train is superb, the route brings you through one of the world marvels of road and rail engineering, the Gotthard Pass, a combination of tunnels, bridges, elevated tracks swooping and curving through the Alps alongside an equally impressive highway. The mountain scenery is stunning. Incredibly, there's a second tunnel, 57km long, being built now to make the journey even faster when it opens in 2018.

From Zurich there are several services per hour (and even direct trains from Zurich Airport), a spectacular journey lasting two and a half hours with bookable panorama glass ceilinged coaches to admire the view in all it's awesome glory.

From Lucerne there are direct trains but a more intriguing way is ferry south to Fluelen to pick up the train there. Details from Swiss Rail.

On arrival at Lugano's main station, the journey downtown is by funicular, a novel way to approach any city centre.

OK. WE'RE HERE.

Lugano has the atmosphere of a seaside town, but without the beach. The shoreline runs alongside the road with an open aspect that makes the Italian custom of passeggiata (a Sunday afternoon stroll to say ‘hi' to the neighbours) all the more pleasant. Boats bob and weave, children play in the waterside parks, and shoppers along Via Nassa save substantial amounts on luxury brands which can be tax free.

Piazza di Riforma is the main square, the Town Hall it's most prominent building which, confusingly was also a hotel once when the seat of regional government was shared with rival towns like Locarno. The politicians moved every two years from one seat of power to another!

The old town behind the piazza is now mostly modern but if you look up, charming older facades have been retained, and the odd doorway will reveal a baroque style courtyard from days gone by.

The bus services around Lugano are frequent, clean and cheap, with journeys of any length costing Chf1.60. Service No 1 sweeps along the shoreline to the suburb of Paradiso and is as pleasant as any tour bus you might be tempted onto.

The town is ideal for a weekend, but for longer stays the surrounding region is well worth exploring. The local tourist office will sell you a special map of the best walks in the area or advise on trips further afield by car, bus or train.

STAY WHERE?

The Lugano tourist board has a list of accommodations to suit all pockets. It's on the lake shore, on the ground floor of the town hall building.

One of the more picturesque places to stay is Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola which sits on the shore, with most rooms having beautiful views over the water. A corner suite (322) affords one of the best, from one of its two balconies.

The hotel is privately owned and sits in its own extensive grounds attracting a mix of business travellers and holidaymakers all year round. They have an 80% return rate so clearly are getting something right.

Pastel shades dominate and soft furnishings are spread throughout the large main areas, making the whole place comfortable to laze around in. There's an interesting collection of the owner's art on display (including a Giacometti behind the reception desk) and staff are happy, smiling and helpful in a minimum of four languages.

The building was once a mansion belonging to a noble Russian family but was converted in 1885. Pictures dotted around the public areas show to best effect the building's past.

One of the great advantages of staying here is that outside the rear entrance is the funicular for Monte Bre, which after ascending 933 metres you are rewarded with a spectacular view, and a very pleasant walk through a small village, local artworks, and fresh air.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL, 1, 2, 3....

(1)   Wine

Switzerland produces just a third of the wine it consumes, so very little is exported and as a result people generally know very little of its main grape variety Chasselas. The bulk is produced in the French western areas, but Ticino became home to Merlot a hundred years ago when the whole area was reseeded to encourage more qualitative production. Apart from the annual grape festival, Sagra dell'Uva, in September in Mendrisio, or Lugano's own wine festival every two years, there are plenty of vineyards to visit, including one actually in Lugano, a short walk (uphill!) from the station. Fattoria Moncucchetto has spectacular views over Lake Lugano and has been a farm for over 400 years, but a vineyard under the Lucchini family for the past 40. History is one thing, but the future here looks good. For a start, they family have built a brand new state of the art wine production centre designed by the world famous architect Mario Botta, who is based locally. Secondly, they've put all wine production into the hands of a new maestro, a young oenologist Christina Monico who has great ambitions. Their wines a mix of red and white but the top dollar bottle is a Merlot Reserve, which is a rich ruby red, densely flavoured wine with barrel loads of taste. After a visit here, you'll definitely want your own personal supply.

(2)   Art

You'd be forgiven for walking by the small, plain looking church which sits at the end of Lugano's principal shopping thoroughfare, Via Nassa, all the moreso because it's currently overshadowed by a building site. The Church of Saint Maria of The Angels is a dowdy looking building but has a quite unique interior. A little known Italian artist Bernadino Luini who was either a pupil or fan of Leonardo da Vinci (for many years, his works were mistaken for da Vinci's) was brought to Lugano to paint The Last Supper, for a monastery now long demolished but which can be seen on one wall. It is overshadowed by a truly breathtaking depiction of The Crucifixion, one of the largest frescoes ever made, made more impressive by a superb attention to detail and colour. The church is kept relatively dark to protect the frescoes but on a bright sunny day, nothing can contain the effervescence of these works. (On dim days there's a light switch near the door)

(3)   The Lake

It would be tragic to come to Lugano and not venture out onto the lake which dominates this town. Boat trips start from piers right in front of the main piazza, and are many and varied, operating in the summer season from Easter onwards. A trip to Swissminiatur (the whole of Switzerland recreated in 14,000 square metres) can be reached by train in 7 minutes but the boat trip to Melide is a more pleasant approach. Cruises around Lake Lugano can be viewed here in advance, or simply walk along the promenade to see what takes your fancy. 

LET'S DO LUNCH

Picnic

In recent years, Lugano has opened up new spaces of civic amenity, and one of them, the Ciani Park (between the civic centre and the lake shore), is the perfect spot for a summer picnic. Migros, the Swiss supermarket chain has a branch nearby (Via Pretorio) with the added bonus of a large takeaway/deli counter on the ground floor.

Rustic

One of the most charming places to lunch is The Grotto Morchino, easily reachable by Bus (No 1, Paradiso direction, alight Via Calprino, then walk up Carona 200 metres, or one stop on the No 8) which specialises in local foods, in season, cooked traditionally. Their website details what's likely to be on offer every month of the year, as well as menus, but it doesn't capture the rustic charm of the place (Sunday lunch here on the terrace is recommended) or the warm welcome from the owner. On a cold winter's night a dish of Rognioni di Vitello was served with two kinds of polenta, normal mixed and black, and was delicious. Even better was a sensational Risotto Milanese, very often just a plate of uninspired yellow rice, but here packed with flavour and substantial. A local cheese, bouchon, was elevated from the simple to the sensational with the addition of oil and pepper.

The ‘Grotto' isn't a cave, by the way, but a place of local significance, where people could come to eat, drink and be merry. It's a traditional old building, with a wine cellar underneath and is fascinating to explore.  

Urban

In the centre of town, to the rear of the Town Hall, you'll find a restaurant/bar/cafe of distinction, Ristorante Olimpia, where the great and the good of Lugano have been coming for years. A coffee or beer at the bar? Certainly. A snack? No problem. Or a full lunch - yes please.

The conservatory is the place to sit, to do some people watching in the square outside. Food is freshly prepared and there are specials of the day. On a cold day, bolito misto was served with boiled potatoes and vegetables, accompanied by a traditional green sauce and, a favourite weekender dish, frutta mostarda (an extra portion had to be asked for). It was delicious and, on completion, the waiter suggested more, which he heaped onto the plate.

Wines are produced locally from growers around the region and bottles decorated by local artists such as Ivo Soldini, whose work adorns the walls too.

WHAT'S YOURS?

It has to be a white merlot, the whole area produces most of Switzerland's merlot wines, red and white, and since very little of it is exported (they like to drink it themselves) this is your best chance to taste it. White merlot was originally produced for tax reasons - the law governing quality and cash flows specified red wine, so an enterprising vineyard owner used his clear juice to manufacture white wine, thus getting round the law and earning his cash earlier in the year. No matter, it's a bright, vibrant taste and widely available everywhere.  

DINNER IS SERVED

One of the best views is from the restaurant above the casino, the La Perla del Lago which has a panoramic vista over the lake from its first floor terrace. Outside Las Vegas, casinos aren't really noted for brilliant food but here Gault Millau has seen fit to award 13 points. It's a modern restaurant not only serving the gamblers but accommodating people who wish to dress for dinner in the evening.

The menu is inspired, with local dishes of a traditional nature being sharpened up and presented in a modern manner. The starters are light and tasty, changing with the seasons, ranging from thinly sliced tuna and swordfish served with orange and fennel salad to veal tartare and Serrano ham. Carpaccio di puledro con misticanza all'agro di fragola e medaglione di foie gras was a plate of wafer thin slices of foal meat, sweetened with the vinaigrette and topped with a lobe of fresh foie gras. Not for the faint hearted but delicious.

Mains vary accordingly but don't be surprised to find liquorice and ricotta combined in ravioli, or green tea risotto topped with roasted scallops and confit ginger.