Lugano

46° 0' 27.8" N 8° 57' 13.27" E [46.0077, 8.9537] (KML)

Lugano [M] has a small international airport [2] with flights arriving from many European cities especially Italy, England, France and Germany. Milan's airports are 1 1/2 hours away by bus or train and are served by easyJet and Ryanair. Swiss International Airline [3], Flybaboo [4] and Darwin Airline [5] offer discount web special prices to Lugano from many parts of Europe.

Trains [S] leave for Zurich [M] (3hr) and Milan (40min-1hour) as well as Geneva [M] (via Zurich or Locarno-Domodossola: 5h30' with 1 or 2 train-change, 6h30' via Milan with 1 train-change). Note that getting to Geneva or points west it is faster to go via Zurich or Locarno [M] as the trains are more frequent and faster.

There are two shuttle services (Star Bus [6], Malpensa Express [7]) between Lugano [M] and Milan - Malpensa Airport and a daily bus service during summer to Tirano [S] (Italy) with train connection (Bernina Express [8]) to St. Moritz [S] (Switzerland).

Note that a small part of the lake is actually in Italy so bring your passport if you plan on exploring by ferry.

Lugano [M] is small enough to get around on foot [S], and many of the streets are pedestrian-only, but the hills above the lakefront are very steep so the bus or the funicular from the center of town might be a better option on the way up to the train station if you have a lot of bags. Taxis [S] can be found on the main roads. Ferries [S] and Funiculars [S] are great options for seeing the views.

For more information:

• Funicolare Lugano [M] Citta - Stazione, telephone +41 91 800 72 28/29. This funicular links the old center of the town on the lake shore to the railway station higher up the hill.
• Funicolare Lugano Paradiso - Monte San Salvatore [S], telephone +41 91 985 28 28. A funicular which runs from Lugano to the top of the Monte San Salvatore [S], with spectacular views of the Lake of Lugano, the isthmus of Melide, the Monte Generoso and the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia on the other side of the lake. [9]

Boats While much of Lake Lugano [M] is in Switzerland, the truth is that most of it is in Italy. But, still - take your passport when on a boat.

• Swiss Miniature Village [S], Via Cantonale, Melide-Lugano. Tickets: Adults CHF17, Children below 6 years gratis, 6-15y CHF12 and Senior Citizen (over 65) CHF15. (Price on 2010)

• Parco Civico [S] (Ciani park) [10]

• Old Town [S]

• Cantonal Art Museum [S] [11] Highly recommended!

• Museum of Modern Art [S] [12]

• Monte San Salvatore [S] (San Salvatore funicular) [13]

• Hermann Hesse museum [S][14]. The museum is in Montagnola and you can get there in fifteen minutes from the Lugano [M] railway station by a bus number 36 (direction Agra). Check the time tables, the bus frequence isn't very high. Get off at bus stop Bellevue. The museum also offers an audio guide for a walk in the steps of Hesse, which is a extremely good choice on a beautiful day. Besides the exhibition there is also a film on Hesse shown, duration approximately 50 minutes. In the summer season (March-October) opened daily from 10.00 to 18.30, in the winter season only on weekends from 10.00 to 17.30. Tickets: CHF 7.50/CHF 6.00, discounts for families and groups. Friendly and helpful staff. English, German and Italian spoken.

• Swimming
• Boating
• Hiking
• Trekking Lugano [M] and Malcantone [S] region

• Mountain biking [S]

Bike rentals:

• SFR Railway Station Lugano [M], Tel. +41-512-215642
• Balmelli Sport, Via Pioda 12, Tel. +41-91-9235867

• Casinò Lugano [S] [M] [15], via Stauffacher 1, Tel. +41-91-9737111, Fax +41-91-9737149, email: info@casinolugano.ch. Open every day from 12AM-4AM (Fridays and Saturdays closing time at 5AM). Tables open at 2PM.

• Universita della Svizzera Italiana
• Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana
• Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligience
• Franklin College Switzerland: an internationally accredited college.
• The American School in Switzerland (TASIS), an international secondary school.

All the major labels and designer boutiques (Versace, Hermes, Paul & Shark, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier) can be found here, as well as the usual Swiss and Italian knick-knacks.

The cafeteria in the Manor Department store offers a wide variety of tempting International dishes, ranging from sushi to pasta. Fresh fruits and vegetables arrayed in stylish displays are almost a painting themselves. Wine and beer are available as are a wide range of other beverages.

• Argentino [S], Piazza Riforma, Tel. +41-91-9229049. Excellent pizza, great service. They offer 2 sizes of pizza, price ranges around CHF15-20.

• Tango [S], Piazza Riforma, Really great tasty pizza, quick service (6-7 min per pizza). Price ranges around CHF 15-20.

In the summer your best bet is just to wander along the lakeside promenade and open air bar/cafes. Check local listings for clubs and shows as venues come and go with the seasons.

There are three clubs in the city (discos). Morandi's is 25+ for women, 30+ for men. Privilege, Tito's Place, Club One and The Cube are all located in the downtown (near Manor, a department store).

Oops is a great place to have beer in the evening. Near University [16]

• Arte, Lungolago. Amazing decor(also an art gallery) Great food Views of the Lake $$$$.  

There are a wide range of hotel options right in town, from atmospheric B&Bs to posh four stars to comfy and communal hostels. Be sure to book ahead in the summer, but the rest of the year it's possible to just show up and find something as long as your budget is flexible.

• Montarina Hotel & Hostel, Via Montarina 1, ☎ +41 (91) 966 72 72 (info@montarina.com, fax: +41 (91) 966 00 17), [17]. The hostel would cost you CHF 25 per night whereas a single room in the hotel starts at CHF 70. Breakfast at CHF 12 per person.  

• Hotel Pestalozzi, Piazza Indipendenza 9, ☎ +41 (91) 921 46 46 (pestalo@bluewin.ch, fax: +41 (91) 922 20 45), [18]. A very clean, family-run hotel with some en-suite rooms. English and German are spoken. Prices start at CHF 64 for a single room without shower and toilet.  

• San Carlo Garni, Via Nassa 28, ☎ +41 (91) 922 71 07 (sancarlo@ticino.com, fax: +41 (91) 922 80 22), [19]. CHF 65-190.  

• Youth Hostel Lugano-Savosa, Via Cantonale 13, 6942 Savosa, ☎ +41 (91) 966 27 28 (lugano@youthhostel.ch, fax: +41 (91) 968 23 63), [20]. Prices start at CHF 23 in a dormitory, provided you have a membership.  

• Hotel International au Lac, Via Nassa 68, 6901 Lugano [M], ☎ +41 (91) 922 75 41 (info@hotel-international.ch, fax: +41 (91) 922 75 44), [21]. checkin: 14:00-onwards; checkout: 6:30-12:00. . Family tradition since 1906, it is the right hotel for holidays or for business stays and the only one on the lake promenade in the centre of Lugano, with own indoor parking, restaurant, meeting room, garden with swimming-pool and terrace. W-Lan Internet Hot-Spot, an Internet workstation and an "Ethernet" connection for notebook computers are available free of charge at the Internet corner. “Historic hotel with honor”: the ICOMOS jury has granted the hotel this eminent UNESCO award. CHF 115-310.  

• Hotel Villa Marita, Via Lucino 49, 6932 Breganzona, ☎ +41 (91) 966 05 61 (info@villamarita.ch, fax: +41 (91) 968 11 18), [22]. checkin: 14:00-23:00; checkout: 10:00-11:00. CHF 80-190.  

• Lugano [M] Dante Center Swiss Quality Hotel, Piazza Cioccaro 5. CH-6900, ☎ +41 (91) 910 57 00 (info@hotel-luganodante.com, fax: +41 (91) 910 57 77), [23]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. Located 1 minute from station, 200m from the lake. WIFI access and meeting facilities. Multistore car park.
  CHF 139 to 425 per night per room.  

• Villa Sassa Hotel, Residence & SPA, Via Tesserete 10, ☎ +41 (91) 911 41 11 (info@villasassa.ch, fax: +41 (91) 922 05 45), [24]. On the hills overlooking Lugano [M], yet just a few minutes walk from the centre of town. Single room in the hotel starts at CHF 240. Double room starts at CHF 240..  

• Hotel De La Paix, ☎ +41 (91) 960 60 60 (booking@delapaix.ch, fax: +41 (91) 960 60 66), [25].  

• Acquarello, Piazza Cioccaro, CH-6900, (info@acquarello.ch, fax: +41 (91) 911 68 69), [26]. The Swiss Quality Hotel Acquarello has a direct connection to the station with the cable car and is situated in the city center. Single room from 117CHF, double room from 178CHF (season from April 2009).
   

• Grand Hotel Eden, Riva Paradiso 1, ☎ +41 (91) 985 92 00 (welcome@edenlugano.ch, fax: +41 (91) 985 92 50), [27].  
• Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola, Viale Castagnola 31, ☎ +41 (91) 973 25 55 (info@villacastagnola.com, fax: +41 (91) 973 25 50), [28].  
• Hotel Splendide Royal, Riva A. Caccia 7, ☎ +41 (91) 985 77 11 (welcome@splendide.ch, fax: +41 91 985 77 22), [29].  
• Villa Principe Leopoldo Hotel & SPA, Via Montalbano 5, ☎ +41 (91) 985 88 55 (info@leopoldohotel.com), [30]. Villa Principe Leopoldo is located at only 2 Km from the city of Lugano [M]. The historical main building – the Villa – is, together with the nearby Residence (of more recent construction), one of the most refined luxury hotel establishments in Lugano. Prices range from CHF 450 to CHF 1,950 per room per night.  

There are a few internet cafes in town. As usual, try near the train station.

Lugano [M] is as safe as most cities in Switzerland, but the density of expensive purses, watches, and sunglasses may make pickpockets [S] more of a problem. The usual cautions apply to walking alone late at night, especially after bars and clubs close before dawn.

• Police (Polizia) – Emergency only: 117
• Fire Department (Pompieri): 118
• City of Lugano [M] Police: +41 (0)58 866 82 50 (piazza Riforma), +41-58-8668111 (Via Beltramina 20B)
• Civic Hospital (Ospedale Civico): +41-91-8116111 (via Tesserete 46 )
• Emergency Ward (Pronto Soccorso), Civic Hospital: +41-91-8116006
• Ambulances (Ambulanze): 144
• Poisonings (Intossicazioni): 145
• Doctor and dentist on call: 1811
• Emergency Service - Street aid: 140

Lost Property Office [S] (Ufficio oggetti smarriti), City of Lugano [M] Police, Via Beltramina 20b. Mon-fri: 7:30AM - 12AM, 1:30PM-5PM Phone: +41-58-8668250

• Tourism Center / Lugano [M] Turismo [31], Direzione, Piazza Indipendenza 4. Tel: +41-91-9110404, Fax +41-91-9211460, info@lugano-tourism.ch.

Trains [S] leave hourly for Milan and Zurich [M] where you can transfer to any destination in Europe.

Text content was last edited at 08:19, on 4 May 2010 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by HJP and Daniel Franklin, Wikitravel user(s) Inas, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. A list of contributors is available at the original article on Wikitravel. This text content is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0.