Lying on a lake in the sunny Swiss canton of Ticino, Lugano is not only an important financial centre; it’s filled with historical and natural treasures. Discover medieval churches and world-class museums alongside big-name boutiques and pavement bars – perfect for admiring the dramatic Alpine backdrop with a glass of Italian Grappa.
MUSIC
All kinds of musical genres are celebrated in this exciting city. Come in April and May to enjoy the classical masters at the Lugano Festival. Then groove into the summer months to blues, bop and jazz performed in free open-air concerts.
ART
Ancient and modern art features heavily here. Escape to the 16th-century Romanesque church, Santa Maria degli Angioli, for its grand didatic frescoes of Christ’s Passion. Or go forward in time to the Museo d’Arte Moderna. Both Man Ray and Hugo Pratt’s comic-strip works have been exhibited here.
FOOD & DRINK
From Michelin-starred fine dining to the grandeur of chandelier-lit cafés you’ll be spoilt for choice. And where better to work up an appetite than high up in Mount Bre where restaurants serve local Ticano delicacies such as lobster ravioli and rabbit stew.
You get a real sense of the Mediterranean here as lemon trees, magnolias and camellias fill the air with their scent.