Loitering in Lugano

Just being there is one of the best things, but let's look at a Top 7 (in no particular order):

1. A walk along the southern peninsula through old villages and forests to the riviera-esque village of Morcote.
2. Exploring Gandria village, clinging to one of the lake's vertical shores.
3. Catching the sun in one of the town's beautiful public parks.
4. Exploring the cobblestone streets of the old town.
5. A cruise anywhere on the lake - a panorama of mountains, water, villages and forests as far as you can see.
6. Villa Favorita - one of the finest private art collections in the world, in one of the world's finest settings!
7. Alfresco indulgence on a warm day watching the world go by.

Quick Tips:

THE FACTS THAT MATTER--

WHEN TO GO: Any time between March and November is good. Spring (March to May) is best, and it’s more expensive and crowded in the peak summer season (June to August).

TRANSPORT: Lugano is the Ticino’s main town and a transport hub. Regular buses and trains service Italy and the rest of Switzerland.

WHERE TO STAY: Accommodation ranges from luxury hotels to small family-run properties and pensiones. Prices range from around to over per night for a double room. The Tourist Office at the train station is particularly helpful - they have a big wall-map coded to accommodation price ranges and will help you find something.

WHAT IT COSTS: A meal in a good, budget trattoria will cost around for two with wine. Supermarkets are good for picnic supplies and small cafes offer cheaper alfresco dining during the day. Two people should be able to holiday well for around a day.

OTHER INFORMATION: The Lugano Tourist Office at Palazzo Civico, CH-6900 (phone 091 9133 232) can help with good tourist publications and accommodation guides. Check out the web at www.lugano-tourism.ch

Best Way To Get Around:

The town is quite small and it's easy to get almost anywhere on foot. There's a good public bus system (for when you feel done-in) that regularly services the centre and surrounding district. A day (or multi-day) pass for the boats is a fine investment - design your own itineraries, even glide over to Italy for a day.

We found this place mentioned in a travel novel that I can't remember the name of and decided to try it. It's downstairs off a lane in the old town and from the moment you walk in you're comforted by the casual and warm atmosphere.

It feels a bit like an Italian trattoria, the prices are similar (a bonus for Switzerland), and the delicious local merlot comes in carafes where you pay for what you drink. There's a comprehensive range of Italian and Swiss dishes, including local peasant-style specialties.

It's a friendly, bustling place and we can recommend the pasta with garlic and roasted peppers - heavenly. A decent meal for two with wine will cost around $30-40. Then step outside and join the locals in the town square for a gelati.

If it's a budget (for Switzerland) meal you want with decent food and eclectic surroundings, head for this restaurant in the Hotel of the same name. The serves are massive and the service vague, but there's plenty on the menu to tempt you, with a focus on Italian cuisine.

It's a spacious but welcoming place, with plenty of warm furnishings in a range of styles and colours competing for your attention. But that's not the only interesting diversion. This place also seems to attract interesting long-term tennants and a range of more eccentric passers-by.

Let's see, the first person we noticed the night we were there there was the guy in the corner playing chess with himself. Not so strange you say, except this guy got up and moved to the opposite side of the table each time he made a move and, when he lost (to himself), he proceeded to wipe the board clean in one deft movement, sending pieces flying across the floor.

The other person we noticed sat quietly in a darker corner having a conversation about the Queen (of England) with himself, regularly gesticulating and arguing - with himself, of course.

Not bad for a night's entertainment - all included in the bill of $28 that included soft drinks but not wine. That's a good point actually, this is a non-alcoholic restaurant. I guess that also discounts one of the excuses our two protagonists could have used.

The whole area around Lugano and the Ticino district begs exploration on foot. It's one of the best places in Switzerland, if not the world, to indulge your senses. If you only do one walk in the area, then put this one high on your list.

This walk provides views over the lake, the surrounding districts into Italy, the distant Swiss Alps and gorgeous Heidi-ho villages. There are aromatic and cool forests to cross, fertile farming country, historic stone villages and, if you go in spring, beautiful gardens and fields to savour.

Take in the sweeping views from the top of San Salvatore where you can relax with a drink and some food before you start. Signposted paths lead south down the mountain towards the village of Ciona.

From here head towards the next hamlet of Carona, avoiding the left trail toward Melide. Then travel down through forested country, emerging at the tiny farming hamlet of Torello with its beautiful hillside setting. A winding trail then heads toward the up-market riviera-style resort of Morcote where you will find plenty of choices for food and drink, right on the shores of the lake.

Regular boats travel back to Lugano from here. Allow around three hours for the walk, and add time for exploring the villages on the way and having a poke around Morcote. It's an unforgettable day out - take your camera.

THERE'S A MAP PROVIDED WITH THE PHOTOS HERE AND THE TOURIST CENTRE IN LUGANO PROVIDES HELPFUL WALKING AND HIKING INFORMATION.

Loitering in Lugano
by Dave Underwood

Geography for 20 points. Where am I? The climate is Mediterranean, the people open, carefree and passionate. The trains are never late, the gardens immaculate, and everything is in its place. Italy? Switzerland? I’ll pay either.

The atlas says Lugano is in Switzerland but, as the name suggests, this picture-postcard paradise clings to its Italian roots. 8% of Switzerland call Italian their native language and live mostly in the south-central district of Ticino, separated from Italy by palm-tree studded lakes and the Alp’s lush foothills. Ticino belonged to pre-Italian states until the Swiss took it over in 1512, and it’s been part of Switzerland ever since.

The idea of Italian dining, balmy climate and breathtaking scenery combined with Swiss precision and order is irresistible, yet somehow puzzling. A bit like enjoying fantastic pasta without getting sauce down your front.

Lugano is irresistible – a slice of Italy in Switzerland. We stopped for a look and stayed four days. Here are four reasons why.

A TOWN WITH A VIEW
Lugano’s 30,000 residents have it all – water, mountains and weather. Historic stone houses mingle with resorts and colourful parks around a waterfront that mirrors the alpine peaks and lush hills surrounding it. The town squeezes between two of these hills, Monte San Salvatore and Monte Bre, both serviced by funicular railways providing visitors with unrivalled views and access to a host of walking trails.

With perfect weather between March and November, this is the Swiss Riviera. It takes barely half-an-hour to walk across town and the delightful old city centre and railway station are centrally located overlooking the lake. Hilly, traffic-free cobblestone lanes meander through the shopping and historical districts, offering frequent glimpses of the surrounding landscape.

The stunning views continue on and around the lake. 15 acres of civic parks and gardens line the waterfront and a beach and swimming pools complete the picture.

When your feet get sore you can take to the lake on any of the regular boat services for uninterrupted views and a totally indulgent experience. On a sunny day, and they usually are, you won’t want to be anywhere else. Navigazione Lugano sell 1,3 and 7-day passes that are the best value if you’re planning a few trips.

ALFRESCO APPETITE
The Ticinese people were mountain-peasants who ate simple and hearty food. Thankfully, traditions are fiercely protected and northern Italian cuisine dominates today’s Lugano.

Mountain game, fish, mushrooms, risotto and thick vegetable soups are common delights. The usual variety of cold meats and sharp, hard cheeses are used as well as delicate goat cheese from the surrounding mountains. The local wine is as warm and generous as the hospitality. Deep, ruby-red Merlot is poured from a pitcher or decanter and you pay for what you drink.

Then, of course, there are the ubiquitous gelato shops and pasticcerias for that customary alfresco indulgence. Lugano’s climate is tailor made for this cuisine, and if you search out the many family-run trattorias and tavernas you’ll be assured of an authentic experience.

Now the bad news. You could be excused for thinking you’re in Italy but you’ll remember where you are when you get the bill. This is Switzerland – it’s expensive. Here are a couple of authentic, well-priced places we can recommend:

1. La Tinera. On Via dei Gorini in the old town, this lively taverna serves regional specialties and pasta to die for.
2. Pestalozzi. Eccentric locals and hearty food in the hotel of the same name on Corso Pestalozzi.

WALKING ON SUNSHINE
Hillsides and valleys of colour sprinkled with cool forests, an occasional village of old stone houses and picturesque waterfront frescoed resort-towns. All this, backed by distant snow-capped peaks under a Mediterranean sun that won’t quit. That’s what you can expect if you’re out for a walk around Lugano.

Dozens of footpaths cross the countryside and it’s easy to design your own walks, visiting places of interest and finishing in beautiful lakeside towns where you can catch a boat back to Lugano. Here are two sensational walks we did, and you can get more ideas from the Tourist Office:

1. Take a funicular to the top of San Salvatore, then follow any of the trails down the mountain through the villages of Ciona, Carona and Torello to the beautiful resort of Morcote. Allow four hours. Boats back to Lugano take an hour.
2. Explore Lugano’s Civic Park and the Lido before heading down Via Riviera to Castagnola and the start of the waterfront walk to Gandria. Allow two hours. Boats back to Lugano take 30 minutes.

CULTURAL CRAVINGS
Lugano gets its share of sun worshippers and resort junkies but it hasn’t completely surrendered to the pitfalls of tourist-mania. The "Rio of the Old World" is its nickname and Lugano’s reputation as the district’s cultural and artistic centre is well-deserved.

Cathedrals, churches and villas line the old town and many museums exhibit impressive collections of modern and contemporary art, sculpture and photography.

The short walk to Castagnola reveals an extraordinary private art collection in the glorious 16th century mansion of Villa Favorita. The grounds of the villa are splendid and a visit here can easily be combined with a walk to the village of Gandria.

Lugano has plenty of attractions to satisfy serious culture-vultures, but even the culturally-challenged will be surprised by some of its treasures. Here are our favourites:

1. Villa Favorita. You’ll be left spellbound by this mansion in Castagnola and its incomparable art collection.
2. Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli. This 15th century church in Piazza Luini houses some of Switzerland’s most amazing frescos.
3. Museum of Modern Art. An enormous collection of international and Ticinese artists is displayed in Villa Malpensata on Riva Antonio Caccia.