Stay at a luxury hotel in Lugano with Small Luxury Hotels of the World to explore Ticino, Switzerland’s sunniest canton. This palm-lined lakeside idyll of boutique cobblestone streets and Italianate piazzas is back-dropped by dramatic Alpine vistas.
Luxury Things to do in Lugano
The Museum of Modern Art in the sumptuous Villa Malpensata is lined with masterpieces by Monet, Matisse and Rousseau. At lake-lapped Ciani Park, you’ll inhale the heady scents of camphor trees and vibrant azaleas. Stroll beneath the arcades of Via Nassa and Via Pessina to browse luxury boutiques like Armani, Cartier and Versace. At the roulette tables of the Casino di Campione you’ll mix with high-rolling European glitterati.
Luxury Escapes near Lugano
Charter a launch to wakeboard or water ski on Lake Lugano. From your bobbing vantage point you can admire the sinuous curves of architect Mario Botta’s Modernist Casino di Campione. Ride the luxury William Tell Express to glimpse vineyards and olive and chestnut groves through the wrap-around windows of your first-class panorama car. From Flüelen, your journey continues across Lake Lucerne by vintage paddle steamer.
Gourmet Lugano
Lugano is packed with grotti, shady open-air tavernas serving homemade salami and mortadella sausage on traditional stone tables. Climb to the peak of Mount Bre by funicular to dine with a bird’s eye view of the city and its surrounding lakes. Fresh lobster risotto or rabbit stew is complemented by the finest Italian Grappa. At Piazza Riforma’s Friday market, you’ll find boutique Ticino cheeses like Piora and pyramid-shaped Zincarlin.
Book a luxury hotel in Lugano with Small Luxury Hotels of the World to experience the ‘Monte Carlo of Switzerland.’ You’ll bask on your very own private lido and revel in the lakeside opulence of a fin-de-siècle villa.