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TOP 5
Active
adventuresTRAIL HIKING
Ticino has over 700 way-
marked trails, from leisurely
rambles to more challenging
hikes and multi-day routes,
including an easy loop
around Mendrisiotto’s
vineyards, and the seven-day
circular hike up and around
the Blinnenhorn.MOUNTAIN BIKING,
BLENIO VALLEY
Whizz down Nara Mountain’s
scenic Black Wood Line, with
plenty of twists and turns,
jumps and flat-but-fast trails.
The route drops around
1,640ft over two miles.TANDEM PARAGLIDING,
LOCARNO
Taking off from Cimetta,
5,482ft above sea level,
soar on mountain thermals
and enjoy vistas across the
Maggia Valley, the rooftops
of Locarno and the sapphire
waters of Lake Maggiore. It’s
possible to hike up and glide
down too.BUNGEE JUMPING,
VERZASCA VALLEY
Named after the legendary
bungee leap in the opening
scenes of GoldenEye, make
like James Bond and hurtle
headfirst over the 721ft-high
Verzasca Dam on the 007
Bungee Jump.ROCK CLIMBING,
PONTE BROLLA
One of Ticino’s most popular
spots for climbers and
boulderers, Ponte Brolla is
an imposing granite dome
a 15-minute bus ride from
Locarno, offering plenty
of routes for novice and
experienced climbers alike.MORNING
Nicknamed the Monte Carlo of
Switzerland, Lugano is famed for
its Mediterranean-meets-Alpine
lakeshore location, the Estival Jazz
festival and a museum dedicated
to the German writer Hermann
Hesse, set in his former home.
Start in the grand Piazza della
Riforma, and explore the maze of
cobblestone streets that fan out
around it, lined with boutiques,
restaurants and pavement cafes.
Have lunch at the opulent Grand
Café Al Porto or grab a picnic at
family-run Gabbani, which has
been selling culinary treats since
1937, including its own salami.AFTERNOON
Stroll down to Lake Lugano,
flanked by forested slopes and
dominated by the twin peaks
of Monte Brè and Monte San
Salvatore, popular with hikers
and mountain bikers. Drop in
to the Church of Santa Maria
degli Angioli, with its frescoes
by Bernardino Luini, a pupil of
Leonardo da Vinci. Then take the
funicular to the top of Monte San
Salvatore for epic views before
hiking for six miles down through
idyllic fields and chestnut forests
to the pretty lakeside village of
Morcote, before returning to
Lugano by boat or bus.EVENING
Round off the day with a visit
to the striking LAC cultural
centre for an art exhibition
or a concert in its beautiful
hall, right on the lakeshore.
Or have dinner at buzzy
Bottegone Del Vino, a small
restaurant with a daily changing
menu — such as tuna carpaccio,
pumpkin tortellini or mushroom
risotto. There’s a lengthy wine
list, communal tables and terrace
seating in summer. Save room
for the divine chocolate tart,
or head to nearby Vanini Dolce
e Caffè and join the queue for
ice cream.DAY ONE LUGANO
ABOVE: Al fresco dining
in Lugano’s main square,
Piazza della Riforma
LEFT: Bell tower of
Lugano CathedralMay/Jun 2020 39