Lugano, the largest town in the holiday region of Ticino, is not only Switzerland's third most important financial centre and a conference, banking and business centre, but also a town of parks and flowers, villas and sacred buildings. With Mediterranean flair, Lugano offers all the advantages of a world-class city, combined with the cachet of a small town.

Lugano lies in a bay on the northern side of Lake Lugano, surrounded by numerous mountains offering splendid viewpoints. The traffic-free historic town centre, the numerous buildings in Italianate Lombardy style, the exclusive museums, the mountains, lake and a packed calendar of events all invite visitors to see the sights, soak up the atmosphere – and enjoy "dolce far niente". Thanks to its mild climate, Lugano is a popular tourist destination in the spring when the camellias are in bloom.  
  
The town centre with its Mediterranean-style squares and arcades, and numerous parks with sub-tropical plants such as the Parco Civico on the shores of the lake invite you to laze around, enjoying the atmosphere. By the lakeside promenade are the Belvedere Gardens, where the parkland boasts not only camellias and magnolias but also countless sub-tropical plants and modern works of art.  
  
Art connoisseurs are attracted to this city of art and architecture by the high standard of the exhibitions it hosts. In the MASI (Museo d’Arte della Svizzera Italiana) are paintings by Klee, Jawlensky, Renoir and Degas, among others. In the last 50 years, the Ticino region, and Lugano in particular, have developed into an important region for architecture. The most well-known representatives of the "Ticino School" are Luigi Snozzi and Mario Botta. EFG Bank AG, the Palazzo Ransila (Via Pretorio) and his own workshop on the Via Ciani are good examples.  
  
The two closest mountains to Lugano, Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè, give you an outstanding panorama of the town, Lake Lugano and the alpine scenery. From Monte Brè there is a walk down to the village of Brè, which has preserved its typical Ticino village centre, and enhanced it with works of art. From the San Salvatore another popular walk leads down through the beautifully situated Carona to Lake Lugano at Morcote. Taking a boat trip back to Lugano is a splendid way to round off the day. Other excursions are to the fishing village of Gandria, up the Monte San Giorgio or the Monte Generoso or to the Lilliput world of Switzerland in Miniature at Melide.

Enjoy the Mediterranean temperatures, palm and olive trees. If you really want to relax, just sit at a table in one of the squares. And do what everyone does here: eat, chat and enjoy life.

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Lugano

Located on the shores of Lake Lugano, this 63,000 square metre park constitutes the city’s green lung. Here you can recover from the hustle and bustle of the city as you walk along paths lined by magnificent centuries-old trees.

The paths wind through beautiful flower beds, lined with statues and fountains, and are framed by the meticulously manicured English lawn. The park is divided into two areas. The first area in the vicinity of the Villa Ciani can be reached through the main entrance at the end of the waterside promenade. This area has both the features of an Italian and an English garden: lush flower beds alternate with green spaces and trees and shrubs from all over the world. The second area extends from the jetty to the Cassarate River and has a "wilder" and more original character. Here you will find oak, lime, plane and maple trees, all typical representatives of the Ticino forests. Within this forested area there is a children's playground with numerous games for children of all ages. The Parco Ciani is also home to various buildings: the Villa Ciani, the Convention Centre, a jetty, the Natural History Museum and the Cantonal Library.

Parco Civico-Ciani - Lugano