Lugano!!!!
 

Please recommend nice hotels to stay in here for two nights in July. Also, throw out ideas of what we should specifically do here, where to eat, hike, tour, etc!!!! Thanks.

Lugano never turned me on too much but I have spend several days there as a base to take boat rides on Lake Lugano - like over to an enclave of Italy for a casino.

I took a nice bus ride up into pre-Alps from Lugano and ended up in cow pastures on walking paths and nice scenic views for miles around.

Here's a long daylong trip but terrific one that I did from Lugano:

took Majola Pass scenic bus up thru Alps to St Moritz - to catch Bernina Express scenic train (nest in Europe IMO) to Tirano Italy for Bernina Express bus back to Lugano. Little time to linger anywhere but an awesomely terrific scenic day.

Locarno and Bellinzona make neat day trips too. Lake Como is a short bus or train ride.

I wouldn't particularly recommend the hotel in which I stayed, but I enjoyed Lugano. I took a cablecar to Monte San Salvatore and then hiked down to Mercote; roamed Lugano; and visited Gandria walked the Sentiero dell’Olivo. I also visited several places in the area (Locarno, Bellizona, etc.) You might find some useful ideas in my trip report:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur.../#post15983126

hotel
 

Kja- what was the hotel if you don't mind saying so we can avoid it or PM me with the name. Thanks.

My reason for not recommending it as that its been too long since I was there, so I'd rather not name it.

Rather basic but clean and cheap hotel in a big garden, far away from any traffic noise, but only a few steps from Lugano railway station.
https://www.montarina.com/index.php?...id=1&lang_id=2
If you want to spend more and prefer historic hotels, you may chose those just below the railway station or along the lake shore.
If you prefer smaller places with good public transport to Lugano, you may check Carona, Morcote or Gandria.

Places not to miss around Lugano:
Monte Generoso: stupendous view over Lake Como, Lake Lugano and some others, to the Alps from Mont Blanc, Grtand Paradiso, Matterhorn up to Bernina and Ortles. Go by Lake Lugano boat or by commuter train to Capolago and then by cog wheel railway to Mte Generoso.
Monte Bre and Monte San Salvatore: 2 mountains, east and west of Lugano, both with fantastic views obver the Lake and to the Alps, reachable by frequent rope railways from Lugano.
Monte Lema: stupendous view over Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano tol the Alps. Access by commutet train, bus and gondola.
Copy of the Last Supper, painted by a disciple of Leonardo da Vinci, in the church of Capriasca (bus from Lugano).
Medieval church and battisterio at Riva San Vitale (boat or train from Lugano to Capolago, then on foot or by local bus).
Monte San Giorgio: prehistoric Unesco World Heritage site (fossils) and WW1 fortifications. Access either by boat and gondola via Brusino - Serpiano or by train and bus via Mendrisio. https://www.ticinotopten.ch/en/views/monte-san-giorgio
Smuggler Museum at Cantine di Gandria.
Swissminiatur at Melide (by boat, train or bus). https://www.swissminiatur.ch/swissminiatur/en/
Tamaro Adventure Park (commuter train to Rivera) https://www.montetamaro.ch/en/advent...fun-ticino.php
3 medieval castles and historic city center of Bellinzona (25 min by train).
Boat from Lugano (weekends) or Morcote (dp 8.50 daily) to Ponte Tresa (ar 9.40), bus to Luino, Lake Maggiore cruise (dp 10.55) to Isola Madre - Isola Bella - Stresa (ar 13.00). Back by boat to Locarno and by train to Lugano, by train via Domodossola - Centovalli Express or by boat to Laveno and then by train via Varese.
Etc. etc...

Well signmarked hiking trails are omnipresnt around Lugano, among them:
Monte San Salvatore - Carona - Morcote,
Monte Bre - Gandria,
Monte Generoso - Bellavista cog railway station,
Monte Generoso - Orimento - Alpe Casasco - Muggio (Postbus),
Muggio (Postbus) - Sasso Gordona - Binate Hut - Murelli Hut - Bigone Hut - Monte Bisbino - Sagno - (Postbus),
Monte Generoso - Orimento - Pello - Osteno Lake Lugano boat (resp bus to Porlezza - Lugano),
Monte Generoso - Alpe Gotta - Arogno Postbus - Campione or Bissone (Lake Lugano boat),
Alpe Foppa gondola station - Tamaro Hut - Monte Tamaro - Gradiccioli - Monte Lema gandola station,
etc. etc. etc.......

Wonderful. We are set with the place we are staying-- and will have Friday (jet lagged) afternoon and evening-- ideas?
Then all of Saturday--
and will return to Zurich on Sunday.

SHould I buy the train tickets now-- or wait until we go through customs at the airport and go to Zurich train station to buy? THanks.

check www.sbb.ch - Swiss Railways for any specials but usually just as cheap buying once there - with a full-fare ticket you can take any train. Check www.seat61.com for more info and general info BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

A standard fare OW ticket from Zurich airport railway station to Lugano costs 70 CHF (resp USD). This price never changes.
If you travel between Tuesday and Thursday, you may economize some 18 CHF/pax by buying (just now) a saver day pass. The latter is valid in all trains for the day you chose. Otherwise there would be no need to buy your ticket in advance. You can do it at the counter of the Zurich airport railway station as well.
https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-an...-day-pass.html

If you travel between Tuesday and Thursday, you may economize some 18 CHF/pax by buying (just now) a saver day pass.>

Reading yours and other comments these day passes are sold in limited numbers - so book really early? Or are the day passes readily available? Would they be good on boats on Lake Lugano? City transports?

We probably spend more time in Lugano than anyone else in Fodorville, visiting several times a year. We were last there for a week in mid-May.

First recommendation: visit the cultural district along the lakefront. It's been beautifully restored. And if you can, make sure to visit the Lugano Art and Culture (LAC) centre/MASILugano for the special exhibition of masterpieces from the Gottfried Keller exhibition running until July 28. The paintings are stunning (and even the frames of Segantini's are beautiful) MASILugano Museo d'arte della Svizzera italiana - Current Exhibitions - Hodler - Segantini - Giacometti

Next: be aware that many of the streets are being dug up due to issues with water seeping under them. It won't affect your ability to enjoy the city but you may have to walk around a few detours.

You already have a hotel booked but we always stay at Hotel Lugano Dante; it's one of the top-rated in the area and the service is outstanding. A traditional hotel, some rooms are modern, some classic in design. We prefer the classic design. Note: the rooms don't have lake views.

For two nights, I'd recommend this pair of restaurants: Bottegone del Vino and La Cucina di Alice. Your hotel can make reservations. For BdV, ask for a small table inside. At La Cucina, ask for a lakeview table inside if you can get one. We never eat outside only because storms can blow up suddenly in the summer and Lugano can get some t-storms with terrific downpours. So we always play it safe with inside table reservations. La Cucina di Alice, Lugano and https://www.ticino.ch/en/restaurants...ino/75375.html

With only two nights, you won't be able to make much use of it, but hotel guests get free passes for the Ticino rail, bus, etc network. Includes the funicular between the train station and downtown. FWIW, it's a very pretty winding walk with great views through narrow streets from the train station to the town (you can take the funicular up to the station and then walk back). Take a stroll through town to the main city park along the lake and wander through to the little harbor for pleasure boats. There are plenty of other pretty green spots, but they're not as easily found on a first visit. If you take a lake cruise, sit inside. The sun is fierce and you can roll down the windows for unimpeded views. The tourist train is kitschy and can be fun, up to you to decide whether to give it a whirl (not covered by the transit pass). There will probably be some kind of live music or performances in or near the main square; there is usually something going most week-ends.

Enjoy your visit!

Great information. Thank you. Should we take a boat tour? Which one?

Boat tour:
do just what you like. Nothing must be booked in advance.
Many people combine boat, postbus and mountain railways.
Short boat trips may bring you to Gandria (and back by boat along another itinerary), Morcote (may be back by bus), Swissminiatur exhibition.....
If you can invest between half a day and a full day, you may check:
Lugano - boat - Capolago - Cog wheel train - Monte Generoso (best viewpoint of the whole Lake area) and back - train directly to Lugano or to Como - Lake Como boat - Menaggio - bus- Lugano (shortcut: loop via Lake Como without cog wheel train);
Potbus to Carona, hike to Morcote, back to Lugano by boat;
Bus to Morcote - boat to Ponte Tresa - bus to Luino - boat to Isola Bella - boat to Locarno - train to Lugano;
boat to Capolago - train to Varese - bus to Ponte Tresa - boat to Lugano;
Lugano - bus - Lamone-Cadempino - bus Miglieglia - gondola to Monte Lema and back - bus - Novaggio - bus - Ponte Tresa - boat - Lugano;
etc. etc......