Hi

We are planing to come for 4 days in the middle of September (from zurich) and wonder what would be the best for us. We are coming with a baby (and baby stroller) and would like no uphill section or many stairs.

I want half a day every day feel I'm in nature or small village and not in the middle of city. However, not feeling completely alone.

We like little coffee shops with desserts, boutique shops and most important non-meat Italian food (pasta, ravioli etc) fresh as possible.

We like colorful houses and see mountains and nature in its best.

I built a plan for lugano but then thought this is not the best option for me, what do you think?

- day 1 - walking on promenade including parco civico and go with funicular to Monte Bre.

- day 2 - have a cruise on lake (boats are comfortable and have space?) and stop on morcote to hang around and have lunch. Is it flat? Any other village we can stop and is not with uphill walks? Afternoon go to monte San Salvatore by funicular

Day 3 - take the train to Belinzona and go with elevator to castle grande which I guess a great view from there. Maybe find a restaurant or something? Visit village center. Is it Italian atmosphere and food? Back to lugano.

Day 4 - walking in shopping/historic center of Lugano. Need to be in zurich airport at 18:30.

Will I feel like city vacation or relaxed in nature, different views and suitable to baby stroller? We prefer not to carry by ourselves.

Great Italian food like excellent coffee, pasta homemade is also very important.

Or maybe better to be in Locarno and have one day visit in Ascona?

Flip a coin - Locarno yes smaller but still large city. May want to check into Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Transfer Card or just Half-Off Pass - www.sbb.ch - other good sites www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Been to both felt Lugano's town center bit more better to me at least. But the difference between either I think would be neglible.

Sounds like a nice plan!

Morcote has a (small) flat area by the water. Belinzona has an Italian atmosphere and food -- I believe that all of the Ticino does.

I'm not sure whether Locarno or Lugano would be better for you, but if you do opt for Locarno, stay in Ascona on its waterfront promenade.

And wherever you stay, you might consider a ferry to Isole di Brissago with it's lovely gardens.

I would go for Lugano rather than Locarno/Ascona. Lugano, the largest city/town in Ticino, is delightful and is more Italian compared to Locarno and especially Ascona which has a more Swiss-German atmosphere.

Hotel wise Lugano is divided into three distinct areas (in terms of lake-wise hotels which offer no uphill sections or stairs as you wish). These are Lugano Paradiso, Lugano Centro and Lugano Cassarate - moving from west to east. From the station many of the central hotels can easily be reached using the funicular directly from the station. The closest to the lower point is Hotel Lugano Dante - https://www.hotel-luganodante.com/en/ but has no view of the lake. The nearest hotels offering lake views are - Hotel Nassa http://www.hotelnassa.ch/entrata.htm and Hotel Walter au Lac http://www.walteraulac.ch/en/13/default.aspx

I am not sure whether you should go to both Monte Bre and Monte Salvatore where the view of Lake Lugano is similar but from different angles. An alternative as a second choice is to take the local train to Capolago and then take the funicular to Monte Generoso which offers quite exceptional 360 degree views.

Food wise Ticino offers Italian food but as I live in Italy it is not exceptional. One thing is that restaurants close early for dinner but I do not suppose this is an issue in your case.

What you may have not considered as a side trip is Lake Como. There is an excellent bus service from Lugano to Menaggio which offers the possibility, using the lake ferries, to visit Bellagio.

Since I posted, I seem to remember a few steps between the boat dock and the entrance to the gardens on Isole di Brissago -- not many, and I think there was also a ramp, but I'm sorry to say that my memory of that part of my day is rather sketchy.

Hi bat23,

While my experience with Lugano and Locarno is not as extensive as nochblad's, still I will give an opposite view.

I had planned to spend about a week in Lugano, but left after 3 nights. It struck me as a big city, with big city traffic, noise, crowding, and smog. I stayed in a fancy-schmancy 5-star hotel in the Cassarate area so that I could have a room with a view. My room did have a view, but the balconies of the hotel were so close that anyone could hop from one to another ... and continue on to the balconies of the adjacent buildings. The traffic that ran right next to the lake, between the lake and the hotel, was neverending. Overall, the atmosphere just was not relaxing to me.

I spent one day in Locarno and was utterly charmed. It is a smaller city or a town, and the pace felt more relaxing. There was fewer people and less traffic.

Anyway, hope you find a wonderful solution for your trip! Have fun as you plan!

s

I've only been to Lugano but I thought it was lovely. While certainly not a small village, it isn't a large 'city' either. The best part if the setting which is gorgeous. The center with the stores, etc. is just 'ok' but the long promenade through the gardens along the lake is beautiful and the view from Monte Salvatore is breathtaking. However, the view from the top of the funicular station is nothing compared to the one a five minute walk up to the very top from the funicular station. Not sure a stroller would be good but it's not very far so I think it would be worth it to carry the baby up. Really that view is so much better and it's not a 'climb' or anything, but there are numerous steps. As I said, not long though so doable with a toddler.

Here's my photos - andiamo.zenfolio.com/f283697298

You can't go wrong but I agree with swandav's assessment of bigger vs smaller.

I have to admit that I am somewhat intrigued by swandav and PalenQ's comments about big vs smaller.

Locarno is just a town with just over 16,000 inhabitants. Lugano is larger with almost 65,000 inhabitants and can be called a city based on the old definition that only cities had a cathedral. I certainly don't think that most Fodorites will find Lugano overwhelming. In anycase most residents of Lugano do not live lakeside but further back. Apart from going to the station I am prepared to wager that 95% plus of visitors to Lugano do not go much beyond 100 yards of the lake.

For me the choice between Lugano and Locarno is perspective and choice. Locarno vistors are more orientated to Lake Maggiore and its attractions and (together with Ascona) may have Swiss German or Geman speaking connections (swandav?). Lugano is more Italian looking and offers greater opportunities. First of all the shape of Lake Lugano is beguiling. It offers a very easy day trip to Lake Como with the possibility of a triangulate trip by train down to Como, ferry to mid-lake and finally Swiss postal bus from Menaggio back to Lugano. Also Locarno is only 1 hour by train from Lugano. Finally, from Zurich, you arrive quickly (through the new tunnel) and directly. Going to Locarno requires a change at Bellinzona.

I can't speak to the facts, but to me, Lucerne felt much larger than Lugano. More crowded, too. JMO.

Following with interest.

Hi again,

Yes, Luzern is much larger than Lugano.

But that doesn't mean that Lugano is the sweet, "small village" that you say you want in your op. What ruined it for me was that the road (which was very, very busy) is right next to the lake, so any serenity the lake might be tending to bring is wiped out (at least for me) by the noise and smog and sight of those cars whizzing by next to you.

My idea of a lakeside idyll is Montreux (CH), where the road is separated from the lake by a string of buildings -- hotels, restaurants, apartments, villas, etc. So while walking along the 7-km long lakeside promenade, it is peaceful and quiet; there is no road noise, and there are no cars in sight. You only see other folks who are strolling, the 19th Century architecture of the buildings, the flowers next to the lake, and the mountains on the other side of the lake. So, compared to that ... Lugano just felt crowded and dirty.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Very helpful descriptions. Always good to read the differing opinions, ... adding to my next Swiss trip wishlist, thanks to great threads like this.

Aah! I better understand your reactions to Montreux now, swandav -- I stayed in a part of Montreux where the road -- the busy, busy road -- was close to the lake, with only a small structure or so in the space separating the road from the shore.

Hi kja,

I attended boarding school in Montreux in 1968, when I was 13 and very impressionable, so my feelings for the place were hatched there. But the reason why I keep returning is that beautiful, peaceful promenade.

Yes, right around the tourist office and the market square, the road is open to the lake. But once past that on either side (going to Clarens or going to Territet), it is once more separated from the lake by buildings. I've never stayed at that part. I have stayed at the Eden au Lac by the Casino, but otherwise I'm always in Territet or Villeneuve and once in Clarens.

s

I haven't been to Locarno, but I definitely preferred Lucerne to Lugano. I found Lugano had too many characterless tall buildings, whereas Lucerne had a lot more charm and more interesting sights. JMO. Montreux as a whole is in between the two for me, but the lake promenade there is a delight.

Another vote for Locarno. I've stayed in both Locarno and Lugano (and Ascona, too) and found Lugano, especially the centre, *way* too noisy/busy for my taste. Much more car traffic there. Locarno (and Ascona) had about the same 'Italianita' in my opinion, no difference. Lugano seemed to me as a banking/business centre, Locarno had more of a small town feeling. From Locarno you can faster get to the higher Alps - the Centovalli train ride is VERY scenic, buses go to the stunning Maggia and Verzasca valleys. Funicular/cable car up to Orselina/Cardada for fantastic views. Isola Grande di Brissago would be a wonderful excursion by boat. Boats also go as far as Borromean islands/Stresa on the italian side of Lake Maggiore.

Well I have made reservation and scheduled hoping it will be ok. We are going on 20 September with baby stroller hoping not too much uphill walks (if any).
What do you think about the plan?

Day 1 - landing on Zurich and sleeps there.
Day 2 - hanging out in Zurich untill 12:00/13:00 and take train to Bellinzona. Staying in the hotel in front of the train station. walk in Bellinzona center.
Day 3 - visit the main castle in Bellinzona and having lunch there. Take train to Locarno. Spend 2-3 hours afternoon in Locano center. stay in Villa Orselina.
day 4 - Sunday - Take the cable car to Carcada to have a viewpoint and stay for around an hour. Visit Ascona one way by boat and return by bus or vice versa. visit lake sidewalk and little streets (understand stores are open on sunday as well). stay in Villa Orselina.
day 5 - visit Lugano (walk in parco civico). Any point to take the funicular to San Salvatore after Carcada ? maybe 2 hours cruise? any other parks/flowers or places to walk? stay in Villa Orselina.
day 6 - visit locarno itself and take train to Zurich. Flight On 21:00 at night.

You may want to see if the Half-Fare Card sold at any Swiss station would be cost effective - gives you 50% off everything transit-wise and costs about $130 so if total fares are $260 or more - hard to figure maybe but things in Switzerland can be really expensive. Kid of course always go free.

I have visited both Locarno and Lugano several times and would chose Locarno for a smaller town feeling and if recall right fewer hills in town.