Lugano
This lakefront promenade necklaces the shore of glassy Lago di Lugano, set against a backdrop of rugged mountains. Notice the distinctive profiles of cone鈥
Andrew Montgomery
Lugano
Ticino鈥檚 lush, mountain-rimmed lake isn鈥檛 its only liquid asset. The largest city in the canton is also the country鈥檚 third-most-important banking centre. Suits aside, Lugano is a vivacious city, with posh designer boutiques, bars and pavement cafes huddling in the spaghetti maze of steep cobblestone streets that untangle at the edge of the lake and along the flowery promenade. The opening of its LAC arts centre has bumped it up in the cultural stakes, too.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angioli
Lugano
This simple Romanesque church contains two frescos by Bernardino Luini dating from 1529. Covering the entire wall that divides the church in two is a鈥
Museo d'Arte della Svizzera Italiana
Lugano
The showpiece of Lugano's striking new LAC cultural centre, the MASI zooms in predominantly on 20th-century and contemporary art 鈥 from the abstract to鈥
Lugano
Rising dramatically above Lago di Lugano, the conical peak of Monte Br猫 (925m) is the trailhead for hiking and mountain-biking trails that afford wide鈥
Lugano
Chomp into some cocoa culture at the Alprose chocolate museum, Schokoland 鈥 a sure-fire hit with kids. Whiz through chocolate history, watch the sugary鈥
Lugano
Lugano's very own Sugarloaf Mountain, the 912m peak of Monte San Salvatore has riveting 360-degree views over Lago di Lugano and southern Ticino to the鈥
Lugano
This museum showcases German-born Swiss poet, novelist and painter Herman Hesse's personal objects, including some of the thousands of watercolours he鈥
Lugano
Footpaths thread through these hilltop botanical gardens, which afford sensational lake and mountain views. In May the park is ablaze with the colour of鈥
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