Travel Diaries: Things to do in Lugano, Switzerland

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Lugano situated to the south of Switzerland is the 9th largest city of Switzerland and is located on the northern edge of lake Lugano - A beautiful setting indeed surrounded by mountains. Wonderful climatic conditions coupled with an even interesting geographical layout, Lugano has over the years there has been a lot of tourism and visits from prominent celebrities.

For those looking to head to Milan; Lugano is a stone's throw away (well, not literally). This post is not about where to go from Lugano but about what you can do while you are in Lugano:

1. Mounte San Salvatore:

You've got to be up there in person to sense and experience the panoramic views and the greatness of being on Top of Europe. The summit is accessible by a funicular railway which operates every half an hour. The journey to the top or to the base is about 10 minutes.

Alternatively, for those who love hiking can also opt for this more to reach the summit. At the summit there is a museum, a restaurant and spots to get a 360° panoramic view of the Ticino region.

Open around the year, it is best to buy a return fare ticket of the funicular railway (unless of course you have other plans) as the deal works really better. For a year round timetable, please visit here.

2. Swiss Miniature, Melide:

Get a glimpse of all the goodness Switzerland has to offer at one place and in a miniature form. Swiss Miniature is a special attraction covering 14000 sq mtrs of land and houses replicas of the best of Switzerland like famous buildings, mountains, castles and cathedrals, and has over 3500 mts of rail network, funiculars and cable cars in motion.

Miniature is at a distance of 7 minutes by train from Lugano to Melide. However, holding a Swiss Travel Pass for a week, we decided to ride the waves. Boat was our mode of transport to the Swiss miniature.

3. Promenade:

Lugano has a beautiful and a long winding promenade. Walk along the path and soak in the views and elegance of the city. With the temperatures being great through out the year, this experience can be enhanced by walking the promenade with a Gelato in hand.

4. Shopping:

Lugano offers the very best in shopping. Via Nassa is the historical street with sophisticated stores and brands offering the best they have. The street is about 270 meters long and houses jewellery, clothes, antiques, perfumes, liquor, pastry shop and a lot more.

5. The Alprose Chocolate Museum:

Got a sweet tooth? Love chocolates? Then a visit to Alprose Chocolate museum is worth it all. Sample as many varieties of chocolates as you like, learn the history of Swiss chocolate and witness the making of the chocolate end to end. Not enough? Buy chocolates for dear ones at home and may be also some to go with a nice Single Malt or Scotch whisky! Cheers!

Here's more information on the visiting hours, fees and hot to get there.

For the adventurous ones and those who love outdoors, Lugano is a paradise for hiking and cycling trails. What are your options? Will be up in a later post.

Additional Information:

Temperatures - Yearly average low of ~9°C to a high of ~17°C