One of the most picturesque villages around Lake Lugano is the tiny enclave of
Gandria, located just a short distance east of Lugano. Previously it was only possible to reach Gandria via foot or by boat, but a new roadway runs along the hillside above the village, connecting Lugano to Lake Como in Italy. It is also possible to take the funiculore from Cassarate to the hilltop village Bré, and stroll down the hillside to Gandria.
You can reach Gandria by foot in about 90 minutes - a leisurely stroll along the lake around the foot of Bré that will take you past the lovely
Sentiero dei Fiori (Path of Flowers), the
Parco e sentiero dell'olivo (Park of Olives) and the very wealthy Castagnola district. The houses and the gardens along the lakefront path are just lovely - but don't worry, if you take the water taxis, you'll still have a good view of this area. The water taxis take approximately 1/2 hour and make a couple stops between the main Lugano dock and Gandria; during the summer hours, the water taxis run frequently, but in the winter they run only a few times per week. Check ferry schedules carefully before setting out.
There are no cars in the village itself, however - the houses are practically piled atop one another on the steep hillside, a jumbled collection of pastel and white-painted buildings, connected by narrow alleys and lots of steps. Restaurants and local shops specializing in hand-crafted goods populate the village. Around 200 people live here year-round; locals call it “the place where time stopped.” The village faces south, onto the lake, and most of the restaurants here take advantage of the gorgeous views. In the summer, the village can get quite crowded - there are several restaurants here, and it is a popular day trip from Lugano.
Even in the off-season, however, the town has a sleepy, peaceful charm, allowing for unhurried meandering and discovery. Some of the older houses in Gandria still bear original frescoes and decorations. You can make the climb up to the church of St. Vigilio (Chiesa di S. Vigilio) to see its Baroque interior and late medieval campanile. Since there is no traffic, it is so quiet and tranquil here that you relax to the sounds of birds, wind in the flowers, the lake lapping the shore.
There is only one hotel in Gandria, situated at the eastern end of the village: the Hotel Moosmann ca del Lago (www.hotel-moosmann-gandria.ch), open April-October, rooms CHF51-218/person ($39-165) depending on occupancy/views. The hotel has parking available just off the road which runs above the village; the parking lot is approximately 100m from the hotel.
From journal Lugano - Gem of Southern Switzerland