Anyone been to Locarno?
 

Haven't read anything about the city on here, has anyone ever visited? Would it be difficult to find cheap (30-60E) hotel/b&B accomodation when we get off the train? Any information at all on this place? I've heard it's beautiful...

Hi aduren,

I suggest you do a text search here for "Locarno" and then select "Switzerland" from the drop-down menu. I just did that and more than 100 threads came up -- of course, not all were so helpful . . .

Anyway, here are just three that you may find useful:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34395531

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34406933

I've spent an afternoon in Locarno and really loved it. I'm planning a return visit for 3 or 4 days early next year.

Just FYI, Switzerland doesn't use the Euro but Swiss Francs. You may have some luck finding a cheaper room at www.rooms.ch or maybe a bnb at www.bnb.ch.

Good luck!

s

Yes. Locarno, at the northern tip of Lake Maggiore, is a nice town in a smashing location, with a spffy lake front. Don't know if there's much to do there but it could make a swell base for excursions on Lake Maggiore via the boats that go into Italy, or to enjoy the Centovalli Railway, a narrow-gauge railway running between Locarno and Domodossola, Italy, and the Simplon mainline between Milan and Brig. The Centovalli is not as dramatically scenic as some Swiss mountain railways (it runs through part of Italy) but is picturesque in its own way, and offers a good way to go between the Brig-Zermatt-Interlaken area and Locarno and Lugano. Don't know about cheap hotels/B&Bs- it's a resort town that looks upscale.

Thanks guys! After I posted this, I found a few cheap places there. I'm getting the feeling there is nothing to DO, per se, but mainly to enjoy the scenery and the culture (which is fine with me!) I'm sort of wondering how we are going to get there though, b/c my eurorail book does not have any schedules for a train going there.

Locarno is a pretty town with nice scenery but as others have said, there isn't much to do there. The town has a very large hospital and when we were there, it seemed that there were many elderly and sick people being pushed around the lakefront in their wheelchairs. There is a nice and strenuous hike to a shrine on the mountain overlooking the city and the Lake. If you make it to the top, the view of the Alps and Lake region is wonderful.

Hi. Try the sbb.ch website, click on the English at the upper right, then timetables. You'll be able to find schedules for getting to Locarno. J.

Have stayed in Locarno twice (my husband's family came from there). We stayed in the same hotel (La Palma au Lac)25 years later. It's on the lakefront and quite nice, prob. not cheap although I don't recall. I agree with the other posts w/ two additions: they have a large casino, and we also drove to the hills above town to see the views ... stunning.

Aduren: We've stayed there three times in the last five years. We love the scenery and like the fact that you don't feel obligated to run around and see a thousand things in three days. YOu can boat ride across the lake, take the Centovalli train to Domodossola for incredible scenery (sit on the left side going to Domodossola), visit lovely Ascona, take the funicular up to the Madonna del Sasso church or just hang out by the lake shore.

As for hotels, we stayed at the Rondinella Garni, literally 1 block from the train station. The hotel has awesome lake views, good sized rooms and is squeaky clean. The owner is an incredibly delightful woman--who speaks german, italian and english very well. Prices in Switzerland are not cheap, but at 140-150chf/nite for a double, with bath and view, this hotel is a tremendous value. The website is: http://www.rondinella.ch/inglese/hotel_ing.htm

If you like reasonably priced restaurants, the Al Pozz, just a block away from the Rondinella on Viale Verbano, has indoor and outdoor seating with a nice lake view and this awesome chicken with risotto dish--called something like Pollo Castello. For Pizza and pasta, the Casa Del Populo in the old town is nice.

Hope you get a chance to go to Locarno.