Ticino: Where Swiss Quality Meets Italian Lifestyle

From a hike around a glacier to a swim in the Mediterranean-like lakes of the region in a matter of hours, anything is possible in Ticino. With its strategic position, with the rest of Switzerland just beyond the Gotthard massif and Italy as a neighbour to the south, the Ticino region can truly claim to have the best of both worlds! Getting to Ticino has never been easier and faster. The Gotthard Base Tunnel, the longest railway tunnel in the world, takes you from Zurich to Lugano in only 2 hours! While for those who enjoy the travel as much as the destination, the Gotthard Panorama Express, one of the best panoramic trains of the country, and the Treno Gottardo, the interregional copper-coloured hourly train connecting Zurich and Basel to the dream-like city of Locarno, are the best options to fully take advantage of the trip.

In the heart of Ticino stands the city of Bellinzona, the region’s capital, with its magnificent UNESCO fortresses. The peak of the Alps towers over the North of the region, giving you the chance to enjoy breath-taking views. As you follow the Ticino River, the whole landscape quickly morphs: the air gets warmer, the sun creates light-games on the Maggiore Lake. The calm mountain paths give way to the wide promenades, the colourful gardens, and the open squares of the towns of Ascona and Locarno.

The main square of Locarno is one of Ticino’s cultural hubs, hosting many events such as the Locarno Film Festival.

Moving towards the South, with its historic hotels and endless cultural venues, the city of Lugano welcomes you in its worldly lifestyle. A walk along the lake, taking in the architectural diversity of the city, and a lakeside aperitif are the perfect way to blend in with the Ticinesi and to experience their kind of Dolce Vita.

This North-to-South journey ends in the Mendrisiotto region, which welcomes you with its endless sea of gentle vine-covered hills and invites you to taste its ruby red Merlots. With its central position in the European North-South transport network, Ticino, with its unique charm, invites you to discover its Swiss-Italian lifestyle. Thanks to the Ticino Ticket, guests staying in a hotel, youth hostel or campsites of the region, can enjoy free public transport, along with many activities, from museums to cable-cars, at discounted rates. Cities, mountains, lakes, and rivers – everything is at your fingertips with the Ticino Ticket!