Day 3 of Scenic Switzerland by Train
Lugano (Italian pronunciation: [luˈɡaːno]) is a city in southern Switzerland in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino bordering Italy. The 9th largest Swiss city, it is the largest in Ticino and largest with an Italian speaking majority outside Italy. The city lies on Lake Lugano, surrounded by the mountains of the Lugano Prealps.
We arrived Lugano via the Bernina Express Bus from Tirano on 11 September 2014. That was end Day 2 of our 12 days Scenic Switzerland by Train. At Lugano, we had the whole of Day 3 to explore the city and its surrounding. Due to time constraints, we could only do first 3 of the 5 best things to do in Lugano.
Weather: Sunny
Lugano is small enough to get around on foot, and many of the streets are for pedestrian-only. Train & bus station is on a hill above downtown. The easiest way to get to the town below is by funicular. It will bring us right to the heart of the old town, at Piazza Cioccaro. We can also walk (but not with wheeled luggage as it is steep) or take bus #2 down the hill.
1. Cruise on Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano (also called Lake Ceresio) is a glacier lake. It has a surface area of 50 square kilometers of which 63% are located in Switzerland and the remaining 37% in Italy. With an average width of 1 km it is very narrow but quite deep (up to 288 meters). Its shore is not entirely accessible by car and for centuries some villages, like the picturesque Gandria and Morcote, were reachable only by boat.
The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore.
We went on a 2hrs+ boat ride that brought us to the southern part of the Lake. The route:- Lugano –> Paradiso –> Melide –> Morcote –> Brusino Arsizio –> Campione D’Italia –> Paradiso –> Lugano
View of Lugano from the Boat
Campione D’Italia
Brusino Arsizio
Morcote, the most beautiful village in Switzerland, 2016
Immigration Checkpoint to Italy
2. Swiss Miniature
Swiss miniature is Switzerland on a smaller scale. It is located in Melide and was opened in 1959.
The open air park is 14,000 square meter and consists of 120 models of houses, castles and monuments and is surrounded by 15,000 flower species and over 1,500 tress. The detailed and authentic models include well- known sites such as the Heidi Village in Maienfeld, the castles of Burgdorf and Chillon, and the Federal Parliament in Bern. We could also see model railways with trains running through the park.
Family with children will definitely love it. It is open daily from mid March to end October, 9am to 6pm.
3. Fox Town Factory Outlet
Fox Town Factory Outlet is the largest factory outlet shopping mall in Switzerland, with around 160 shops. Bargain hunters can enjoy huge savings and find cheap deals on designer brands and topline fashion. It is open 7 days per week from 11am to 7pm.
Getting to Foxtown Factory Stores is very easy by car, train, or shuttle bus. If driving, use the Milano-Lugano highway and exit at Mendrisio – signs point to the mall, which is very close to the highway exit. Driving distances are 15 km from Lugano, 50 km from Milan, and a mere 8 km from Como.
Mendrisio is a stop on the S10 trains that run usually twice per hour through Ticino – traveling time is around 20 minutes from Lugano. Foxtown is a 15-minute walk from Mendrisio train station – a bus service is also available.
4. Mt San Salvatore Tour – bird’s eye view of Lake Lugano
The easiest and most rewarding peak on the lake, thanks to its fine panoramic views, San Salvatore (2,990 feet) rockets up from the Lugano suburb of Paradiso.
At the top you’ll find good viewpoints, as well as a playground, a self-serve cafeteria, and a restaurant. From the lift, be sure to climb five more minutes to the actual summit. On the way up, pop into the Salvatore Museum, with its small collection of religious art and exhibits on local geology. At the top of the mountain, there’s a small church surrounded by a view terrace. For the best panorama, climb to the rooftop of the church (entrance around the right side) for a sweeping, nearly 360-degree view. Unfortunately, the bay directly in front of Lugano is just about the only thing you can’t see from up here.
Getting There: To reach the base of the funicular, either walk along the water (about 20 minutes south of the city center; keep your eye out for brown signs indicating the funicular), or take bus #2 (direction: Paradiso, get off at Funicolare San Salvatore stop).
5. Walking Trail from Castagnola to Gandria
Duration: 45 mins
Gandria, on the Lugano side of the lake, is the most intriguing and popular stop. A dense cluster of houses hangs over the lake with a few lazy, romantic hotels and several inviting restaurants. It is one of Ticino’s most beautiful lakeside towns. The buildings, tightly aligned, can be reached via stairways and alleyways. Some of the houses date back to the 16th and 17th centuries and are embellished with frescoes and stucco decorations.
Take bus #2, #11 or #12 from Lugano bus station to Castragnola, a suburb of Lugano. From this point, you can walk to Gandria via a great 45 minutes lakeside pedestrian path through restored olive groves, with multilingual signposts telling you all about olive cultivation. Also known as the Sentiero dell’olivo, it is a very beautiful and picturesque walk.
Along the way you can have great views of Lake Lugano and its surroundings mountains. Path is mostly undulating, there are some occasional steeper sections, but nothing that can’t be accomplished with a bit of time and some stops for catching one’s breath.
At Gandria you’ll find a number of eateries and a ferry back to Lugano should you not want to do the walk back. Gandria itself, full of cobbled lanes lined with stone houses is in itself worth the visit.
Note that the last boat of the day from Gandria back to Lugano leaves at 17:20 (or 18:35 in July–Aug). There are also buses (#490, Mon–Sat only), but the last one leaves at 18:25. If you stay longer and miss the boat and bus, you’ll have to walk or fork over 40–50 SF for a taxi.
Day 4 – stay tuned….. in progress
