Planning Your Time

The important sights of Ticino are all fairly close to one another, but depending on the amount of time you have, you might want to choose one or two home bases. Locarno or Ascona allow easy and quick access to the Verzasca and Maggia valleys and Lago Maggiore, and Lugano opens the doors to Lago di Lugano and the gems of Gandria, Morcote, and Campione. From Bellinzona, just about everything is easy to reach. Shopping in Lugano, touring the lakes by ferry, hopping a funicular up a mountain, enjoying long meditative walks in the mountains or along the lakes, and dining on simple meals in a grotto give you some classic Ticinese moments. More active types have lots of sports options available: skiing and snowboarding in winter, and swimming, climbing, and golfing during the warmer months. If you need a big city, remember that Milan is at most 1½ hours away by train from Lugano.