The best of Switzerland and Italy combine in this lakeside mountain retreat
In the furthest southern reaches of Switzerland, the picturesque town of Lugano rests on the shores of its namesake lake. Its canton, Ticino, is a small Italian-speaking enclave of Switzerland that juts into Northern Italy and shares many cultural similarities with the Lombards surrounding it.
One could easily confuse pictures of Lugano with any number of towns on Italy’s famous Lake Como. In fact, Lake Lugano is sandwiched between Como and Lago Maggiore. All three sport the same pristine glacial waters stretched out long and thin in the dales of the Alpine foothills.
With Lake Como becoming a more popular travel destination every year, we recommend nearby Lugano for all the same natural beauty with fewer crowds. Private jet travelers will especially appreciate flying direct to Lugano Airport (LSZA), only four kilometers outside of town (consider the closest airports to Lake Como are much further away in Milan.)
Global Air Charters routinely flies passengers to and from Northern Italy. Our flight coordinators can make ground transportation and other arrangements to ensure a seamless flight to Lugano. Contact us today to start your journey.
Take in the Lake
The lakeshore in Lugano features a long promenade for taking in the majesty of the surrounding mountains. To get a better view of the surroundings, board a ferry to the neighboring town of Paradiso. Once there, you can ride a funicular to the top of Monte San Salvatore for a 360-degree panorama of Lake Lugano.
The other dramatic lookout not to miss is from the Chiesa Santa Maria degli Angeli. Designed by world-famous architect Mario Botta, the chapel adorns the edge of Monte Tamaro, north of Lugano, with views down into the valley which are unmatched. Take a gondola up the mountain in the high season for the full experience.
From Lugano, you can hike the Olive Grove Path, “Sentiero dell’olivo,” to the cliffside village of Gandria. It traverses mostly flat terrain past ancient olive groves and ends in the winding backstreets of this charming, car-free village.
Once in Gandria, find a romantic restaurant with a lake-side terrace, like Locanda Gandriese. Be sure to try the local specialty, Coniglio al rosmarino, which is rabbit served with polenta. They have rooms available if you don’t want to make the 45-minute walk back to town.
Lugano is also a prime destination for cyclists. The Lugano area hosts over 400 kilometers of trails for mountain biking, gravel biking, road cycling, and e-bikes, with charging stations along the roads. It’s easy to plan a week-long bike tour, winding past vineyards and breweries, stopping in charming villages and sleeping at agrotourismus.
2024 Events in Lugano
The LongLake Festival takes place July 11–28, 2024. This summer festival features concerts, theater and dance performances, street art, local vendor markets, street food, games and more, enlivening the streets for two fun-filled weeks.
While not in Lugano, the 2024 Italian Grand Prix is contested in nearby Monza on Sunday, September 1, 2024. Formula One fans can easily make the trip up to the lake district if they don’t want to stay directly in the bustle of Milan.
The autumn festival in Lugano, Festa d’Autunno, will happen October 4–6, 2024. Three days of festivities around the city center will include markets, food and wine vendors showing off the best bites from Ticino. Festival-goers can experience local music and folk performances, parades and more.
Private Jet to Lugano
Our fleet of ultra-long-range Gulfstream airframes have non-stop range to Northern Italy from the United States. Contact our flight coordinators today to explore the Swiss-Italian border in style.
