jakeydog

Hi,

I am planning to spend 5 days in Ticino Canton in September and am hoping for help/suggestions on an itinerary. I'll be flying into/out of Zurich and renting a car.

I'd like to hit:
-Bellinzona, for the castles (1 night)
-Ascona (1 night)
-Lugano (2 nights)
-Brissago islands (daytrip from Ascona)

My questions are:

1. Is it worth spending a night in Bellinzona? (I've heard there isn't much in town but the lit up castles at night are worth it).

2. Would it be better to spend 3 nights in Lugano and daytrip to Ascona (and the Brissago Islands)?

3. Is there anywhere else in Ticino Canton that I should visit? Not to be missed places?

sssteve

I've never been to Bellinzona, but I've been to Lugano several times, and visited Ascona once. Since you have a car, you can easily stay in one place for 3 nights (in either place) and do day trips.

I would prefer the 3 nights in one place, because my wife and I hate doing "1-nighters" (switching hotels and cities every night).
Your current plan is for 3 different hotels in 4 nights. I can't make an educated recommendation regarding Bellinzona, but I would recommend staying 3 nights in Lugano. It's a lovely town, and there are several nice centrally located hotels with parking.

Ingo

Ticino is not very large, if you stay in either Locarno or Ascona you can easily do day trips (especially with a car) to the other places. If you *must* see the lit up castles in Bellinzona at night, then why not driving back to your hotel late in the dark?

Not to be missed places:

- Monte Bre above Lugano
- From Lugano: The hike Monte San Salvatore via Carona to Morcote, back by boat to Lugano
- old town of Locarno, higher up the mountain the monastery Madonna del Sasso
- Verzasca valley with picturesque villages (Corippo, bridge at Lavertezzo, Sonogno)
- Centovalli (train ride), cable car trips up to car-free villages like Rasa
- Gandria
- cog-train ride up to Monte Generoso
- an excellent copy (from 1547) of da Vinci's Last Supper in the parish church Ponte Capriasca
- lots of fascinating Romanesque churches (San Vittore in Locarno-Muralto, San Carlo in Negrentino, SS. Pietro e Paolo in Biasca and so on)
- Hermann Hesse sites in Montagnola (Casa Camuzzi) and Gentilino (cemetery)

kja

I'm a person who doesn't mind changing hotels every night or so, although I understand that many people don't. Your call!

I visited this area -- and most of the things on Ingo's list -- in 2013. You might want to click on my trip report for ideas.

It's a lovely part of the world -- enjoy!

neckervd

In addition to the excellent list of Ingo:

drive through the scenic Malcantone villages and go by gondola to Monte Lema (alpine panorama from Mont Blanc up to Ortles similar to Monte Generoso, but tremendous views down to Lake Maggiore);
If you are good hikers, you can hike from Alpe Foppa gondola station (high above adventure park Tamaro) to either Indemini PostBus stop or to Monte Lema;
Swissminiatur at Melide;
Church and battisterio at Riva San Vitale;
Smuggler museum at Cantine di Gandria (by lake Lugano boat only. resp 3 miles walk from Caprino parking);
drive through Valle Maggia and Val Bavona to San Carlo and gondola ride to Basodino Hut (Swiss Alpine Club) on the shore of Lake Robiei and close to Basodino Glacier;
unspoilt and absolutely untouristy Val Calanca;
Lake Ritom (2nd steepst rope railway line of
Switzerland);
if you like WW1 fortifications: Italian side of Poncione d'Arzo (hiking trail from Serpiano);
drive to the viewpoint Sighignola (just in front of Lugano): Lugano - Gandria - Porlezza - Osteno - Laino - Pellio - Lanzo - SIGHIGNOLA - Lanzo - Arogno - Rovio - Melano - Maroggia - Melide - Lugano;
etc. etc.

Stay at Lugano, Locarno or Ascona if you like to be in the center of everything
or at Cademario, Hotel Bellavista at Vira, Hotel Sass da Grüm at Vairano, at Ronco sopra Ascona, at Rovio, at Serpiano or at any other place in a small village high above Lake Maggiore or Lake Lugano if you like nature and panoramic views.