2,300 hours of sunshine per year and a church established ater an appearance of the Virgin Mary - this is Locarno, the town with the warmest climate in Switzerland. It is located on the northern shore of Lago Maggiore.

Southern plants such as palm trees or lemon trees flourish in Locarno and give the city its special charm. The heart of the city is the Piazza Grande, well-known for its annual film festival. The narrow lanes of the Old Town all lead to the Piazza. Castello Visconteo, a castle dating back to the 12th century, lies at the edge of the Old Town. About a fifth of the castle has been preserved in its original state. Splendid upper-town palazzi house fine art collections and the lake promenade offers relaxed strolling.  
  
The pilgrimage church of Madonna del Sasso is located above Locarno, in Orselina. The church is said to have been established as a result of an appearance of the Virgin Mary. It is the most notable sight in Locarno, and boasts an extraordinary view of the city, the lake and the mountains.

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Locarno

The Castello Visconteo served as the seat of the Visconti Dukes of Milan from 1513 to 1798.

It is now an archaeological museum, housing Locarnese artefacts from the late Bronze Age to the High Middle Ages. The show-piece is the collection of Roman glasses excavated in Ticino. An extensive collection of approx. 200 exhibits. Documents on the Locarno Peace Talks (Locarno Pact, 1925) are to be found in the municipal museum.

The castle of Locarno - Locarno