ReportingAt the edge of a dazzling lake, the city with Italian charm is brooded by majestic mountains. In this corner of Switzerland, on the podium of the most beautiful views, things are happening.
Lugano is the birthplace of the Eurovision Song Contest. It is not, however Chorus, the song that won that year, in 1956, which immediately comes to mind when you arrive here, but rather from Nino Ferrer: “It looks like the South. Time lasts a long time… ” Of course, we would like to stay there “Over a million years” in this Swiss town in the canton of Ticino, nestled at the foot of the Alps, nestled on the edge of a lake with dazzling waters, which offers thousands of possibilities to drown in the horizon. A life-size show that can be discovered over the water.
On the north shore of Lake Lugano, in the middle (or almost) of which runs a border – with Italy -, the city of nearly 65,000 inhabitants is first and foremost a festival of colors that jumps to the eyes as soon as you leave the city. the station, scarlet red. Shades of pink, yellow, blue, the facades of the houses with baroque or neoclassical architecture give the city a Mediterranean charm that can be heard in the streets. Here, we speak mainly Italian, one of the four languages used in Switzerland. The turquoise blue or celadon green of the water, depending on the season, complete the palette.
The promenade that follows the curves of the lake, with a total area of 48.7 square kilometers, is the best way to enjoy it. Sheltered by a double row of trees, lime trees and chestnut trees, dotted with red benches, blue deckchairs, orange pedal boats, it is an invitation to stroll, from Ciani Park to Paradiso (and vice versa, we never tire of it).
Difficult to leave Monte Brè as the view is captivating, but from here you can return to the water level (of the lake) by walking to Gandria
The former estate of Giacomo and Filippo Ciani, bankers and merchants of Milanese origin who settled in Lugano in 1833, covers 63,000 square meters. It is the green lung of the city – flanked by a salmon-pink villa -, the meeting place for Sunday walks in the middle of oaks and hundred-year-old maples, souvenir photos for passing travelers.
Its beach is very popular to admire the sunset. In contrast, nearly 2 kilometers away, Paradiso is a town in its own right, with its 5-star hotels, luxurious apartments and its 50-meter-high water jet commissioned in 2004 for the Year. international… water.
Funiculars and thrills
To admire this scenery from above, there are the mountains that embrace the city, both within walking distance: Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè. Considered the top “The sunniest in all of Switzerland”, the latter rises to 928 meters above sea level, which can be reached by taking two funiculars. The first, boarding via Pico, opened in 1908, is automatic. Seen from the quay, the slope is steep, very steep. In any case for people with vertigo, who are invited to concentrate on their feet, even if the journey takes five minutes. The others can, from the first meters, admire the panorama. And the best is yet to come …
You have 58.56% of this article to read. The rest is for subscribers only.