![Lugano: malerische Landschaft am See mit Bergen und Stadt, ideal für Erholung und Naturgenuss.](https://contentapi-swissactivities.imgix.net/contentapi.swissactivities/Lugano_55884aa6db.jpg?auto=format,compress&fit=crop&crop=edges&w=3840)
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Boat trip Lugano - Gandria ticket
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You will find picturesque places and wonderful promenades around Lake Lugano. Here is a brief introduction to some of them:
Lugano is the best-known and largest town on Lake Lugano. Its old town has spacious squares on the one hand, but narrow and steep alleyways and stairways on the other. The magnificent town houses, which largely date back to the historicist period (19th century), also catch the eye. Lugano is a lively city, characterized above all by Lake Lugano and numerous parks. The Italian influence is clearly noticeable here.
Gandria lies to the east of Lugano on the steep southern slope of Monte Brè. This mountain is considered the sunniest mountain in Switzerland. The church of St. Vigilio in Gandria is well worth a visit. Overall, the village is characterized by narrow alleyways, numerous stairways and old buildings. In the Cantine di Gandria district, you will find the Swiss Customs Museum, which can be visited in summer. It is housed in a former border guard post and is part of the Swiss National Museum.
Melide gained particular importance as a trading and customs town in the 15th century. The lake dam was built in the 19th century and provides a lakeside path along the lake to Bissone. Melide is also home to the Swissminiatur, a 14,000 m² model of around 130 prominent points in Switzerland. Melide also has a lido beach, a large park with a children's playground and beautiful hiking trails.
Morcote is a beautiful village on the northern shore of the southern part of Lake Lugano. In Morcote you will find a ruined castle and an imposing Renaissance church, both of which tower over the village. The church staircase has 404 steps! Numerous chapels can be found throughout the town.
A cemetery laid out in terraces above the town in the mid-18th century features a number of funeral chapels and tombs of famous personalities. Numerous palazzi still bear witness to Morcote's former importance as a trading town. Beautiful arcades along the waterfront invite you to take a stroll. However, the town's main attraction is its fantastic location on Lake Lugano. You should therefore plan enough time for a visit.
The Schifffahrt am Luganersee runs from Lugano to several locations around the lake. Three of the 10 scheduled boats are electrically operated and form the "Green Line".
City, town | Location |
---|---|
Lugano | In the northwest of the eastern arm of Lake Lugano |
Paradiso | 2 km south of Lugano |
Gandria | 5 km east of Lugano |
San Rocco | On the eastern shore of the eastern arm of Lake Lugano |
Melide | 6 km south of Lugano, connected to Bissone in the east via the lake dam |
Brusino Arsizio Paese | In the south of Lake Lugano, not far from Monte San Giorgio |
Morcote | On the northern shore of southern Lake Lugano, ferry service to Porto Ceresio (Italy) |
City, town | Location |
---|---|
Bissone | Connected to Melide in the west via the lake dam |
Caslano | Located in the north-west of the western arm of Lake Lugano |
Castagnola - Cassarate | Located at the south-western foot of Monte Brè, belongs to Lugano |
Collina d'Oro | Located in the north-east of the western arm of Lake Lugano |
Riva San Vitale | In the south of the right arm of Lake Lugano, east of Monte San Giorgio in a beautiful bay |
Vico Morcote | 4 km east of Morcote |
In the period from April to October, the boats on Lake Lugano run most frequently. The boats sail around 15 times in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
In the period from the end of October to the beginning of December, seven more boats sail between late morning and afternoon on weekdays. At weekends and on public holidays, only three ships operate during this period.
The ferry between Morcote and Porto Ceresio runs in the early morning and early evening.
You can view the current timetables for Lake Lugano here. They include all the shipping companies that operate on the lake.
The water temperature at Lake Lugano can reach up to 27 °C in midsummer. The lowest temperature in winter is 3 °C. As the climate here is very mild, air temperatures hardly ever reach minus degrees.
In summer, you can find a place to swim almost anywhere on the lake. Every village has at least one bathing jetty. There is a wide range of water sports on offer. You can go canoeing or try out water skiing and wakeboarding.
As there tends to be little wind on Lake Lugano, it is quite suitable for beginners in windsurfing and kitesurfing. Professionals in these sports are not to be found here.
Lake Lugano is surrounded by several mountains. Most of them reach less than 1000 m above sea level, only Monte Generoso lives up to its name.
Monte Generoso reaches 1700 m above sea level and towers over the area. From Capolago on the lakeshore, take the 9 km cog railroad up to the panoramic mountain. The view down to the ramified lake and the Italian Alpine region is breathtaking. The Italian border runs right along the mountain.
Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè also rise up close to Lugano. Both mountains are the local mountains of Lugano. You can easily reach them via funiculars that start directly in Lugano.
Monte Brè is also known as the sunniest mountain in Switzerland and lies at 933 m above sea level to the east of Lugano. It offers views of Lake Lugano, Monte Rosa and the Bernese and Valais Alps. You can reach it by boat from Lugano in the direction of Cassarate. A funicular leads directly from Lugano to the mountain. You can reach the village of Brè on foot after a short walk. The old stone houses, church and cemetery are well worth a visit.
You can buy your ticket to Monte Brè here.
Mount San Salvatore reaches 912 m above sea level and lies directly on Lake Lugano to the west of Lugano. At the summit there is a small viewing tower (12.5 m high), which offers a panorama from left to right over Lugano, Campione d'Italia and Melide. The incomparably beautiful panorama attracts many visitors to the top. The funicular takes you from Lugano to the summit in just 12 minutes.
There you will find a chapel and a museum with geological and ecclesiastical exhibits (open on Wednesdays and Sundays). The museum building was erected in the 17th century for hikers and the poor who were on a pilgrimage to the Church of the Redeemer. Legend has it that Jesus rested here briefly when he was on his way to heaven.
First and foremost, however, the mountain offers plenty of space for physical activities. There is a popular via ferrata and beautiful hiking trails and nature trails. There is also a children's playground and the treasure hunt along the nature trail is ideal for families or school classes. It is easy to walk and only has a few meters of difference in altitude. Stones and fossils found on the mountain can be seen in the museum in San Salvatore.
Lake Lugano is located in southern Ticino, one third of which is in Italy. It is one of the upper Italian lakes between Lake Maggiore and Lake Como.
You can easily get to all places on the lake by public transport. The well-developed and ideally structured rail network ensures a good journey. The best way to get to smaller towns is always via Lugano. You can reach Lugano from Zurich via the Gotthard Base Tunnel every hour in just two hours. (Please note that the tunnel is currently closed until September 2024 due to an accident. The journey time from Zurich is therefore currently just under three hours)
The smaller towns can be reached by S-Bahn, bus, Postbus or Trenitalia. There is a dense transport network in larger towns such as Lugano or Melide.
To visit Lake Lugano by car, it is best to take the A2 between Lucerne and Lugano. From eastern Switzerland, take the A13 through the San Bernardino Tunnel to Lugano.
If you are coming from Zurich, take the A4 to Flüelen and then follow the A2. The journey from Zurich takes just under three hours and takes you through the Gotthard tunnel. Please note that there are regular traffic jams at the Gotthard for several hours during school vacations and on public holidays.
Lugano Airport in Agno is located in the immediate vicinity of Lake Lugano. It offers direct connections to Zurich and Geneva. Due to its proximity to Lugano, the airport is only a 16-minute drive from the center of Lugano. It is served by the S 60 of the Ticino S-Bahn. There are also regular shuttle buses.