Lugano

Lugano, the Swiss dolce vita🌿

Halfway between Italy and the Alps, Lugano charms you with its blue lake and sugar-loaf hillside... a Swiss-Italian version of Rio. You can speak Italian, pay in Swiss francs, eat like you're in Milan, and breathe pure mountain air. Here, everything is in balance: lake, culture, nature and the good life.

🌞 Start your discovery in the cobbled streets of the center, which lead to Piazza della Riforma, a lively square lined with colorful facades and terraces where it's good to linger over a drink. A few minutes' walk will take you to Parco Ciani, a large lakeside garden perfect for a leisurely stroll among the trees, flowers and reflections of the water.

🚠 Looking for a bit of height? Climb Monte Brè or San Salvatore, on foot or by funicular. Up there, the view of the lake and the Lombard Alps is magnificent. And if you want to stroll a little longer, continue along the olive grove path to Gandria, an old car-free fishing village with staircase lanes and terraces suspended over the water.

🎨 When it comes to culture, Lugano is home to LAC, a lakeside arts and entertainment center, and MASI, a museum of Swiss Italian art. Small but elegant, these venues breathe unpretentious curiosity.

🍽️ And at the table? Forget fast food: here, you can take your time in the grottos, typical inns where gastronomy and good living meet. On the menu: polenta, risotto, cheeses, charcuterie, Ticino wines...

🚆 Easily accessible by train from Zurich, Lugano is an ideal destination for a slow weekend, combining nature, culture and simple pleasures.

So, are you ready for a relaxing weekend close to home? 💛