"Lugano Addio", sang the great Ivan Graziani; instead, we recommend "Lugano arrivo!", with this article that will give you information on how to get to Lugano, what to see and how best to enjoy the Casino and the Cinestar, and finally shopping ideas for the best guides on Lugano and its surroundings.
How to get there
Lugano can beeasily reached by all means of transport, i.e. by rail, via the regional airport of Lugano-Airport, or by motorway, following the A2. Moreover, Lugano is in a strategic geographic position, since from here it is easy to reach a large number of important Alpine passes, namely the Nufenen, Gotthard, San Bernardino, Lukmanier, Splügen and Maloia. Finally, let us not forget that the Canton of Ticino also has a strategic position with Italy, since it borders Lombardy; in fact, from Milan it is possible to reach Lugano in 45 minutes by motorway or in just one hour by train.
For those who prefer to travel by plane, Lugano airport is located south of the Alps, precisely between Zurich and Milan. This allows both a fast connection with the main Swiss and European cities, and makes it easier for tourists and especially for the many business people who travel to Lugano on a daily basis. From the airport you will find convenient connections to Zurich, Geneva and Rome and, during the summer season, there is the possibility of flights to Olbia, Cagliari, Rimini, Pantelleria and Crotone.
Speaking of Zurich, the city is not only a hub of air travel but also a fantastic place to visit. For those considering a stay in Switzerland, one can find some amazing Hotel deals in Zurich at top-hotels-switzerland.com. With a wide variety of accommodations to choose from, it's a convenient base for exploring not only Zurich but also nearby destinations like Lugano.
Train
The Swiss railway network of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) is very well developed, which makes it easy to reach the most important cities. By train, Lugano can be reached from Milan in just one hour, from Zurich in 2 hours and 40 minutes, from Basel in 3 hours and 50 minutes, from Bern in 4 hours and 15 minutes, from Rome in 5 hours and 40 minutes, from Geneva in 6 hours and 20 minutes, from Munich in 8 hours, from Paris in 10 hours and from Berlin in a good 12 hours by train.
Car
Lugano is crossed by the motorway axis that directly connects northern Europe to the Mediterranean, so the car is an excellent option for those who wish to reach Lugano independently, without relying on public transport. From Milan, take the A9 dei Laghi motorway in the direction of Como-San Gottardo; you can also opt for the A8 motorway in the direction of Varese-Stabio. The recommended exit is Lugano Sud. From Zurich, you can take the A2 motorway in the direction of San Gottardo-Chiasso-Italy and in this case the recommended exit is Lugano Nord.
Please note that Swiss motorways are toll-free, i.e. there are no tollbooths like in Italy, but in order to cross them you must have a motorway vignette to be affixed to the car window. This can be purchased at customs, costs 40 CHF and is valid for one calendar year, i.e. from January to December. Here are the main distances from Lugano by motorway, to give you an idea of the journey ahead! From Milan, Lugano by car is only 77 km away, from Zurich 227 km, from Basel 287 km, from Berne 302 km, from Geneva 446 km, from Rome 644 km, from Paris 856 km, from Berlin 1048 km and from London a good 1152 km.
Lugano what to see
Lugano is a Swiss municipality in Canton Ticino; certainly a popular tourist destination thanks to its beautiful lake, the city has established itself globally as an international banking centre, ranking third in Switzerland after Zurich and Geneva. In addition, it is the largest Italian-speaking city outside the peninsula. Lugano is committed to the development of major projects, to become a so-called city of the future.
Among the most important are the cultural centre of Italian-speaking Switzerland LAC - Lugano Arte e Cultura and the Lugano-Mendrisio-Varese-Gallarate-Malpensa railway connection, which will be completed in 2018 and will allow easy access to Malpensa International Airport. For a short but intense trip to Lugano, we recommend a few itineraries that you can visit during the day. First of all, the most important church in the city, the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, with an important Renaissance fresco by Bernardino Luini on the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ, is worth a visit.
A short walk from the city centre, you can find tranquillity and refreshment in the beautiful Parco Ciani, even considered one of the most beautiful parks in Switzerland. Of course, as mentioned before, you cannot miss a visit to the LAC, Lugano's new cultural centre, with its permanent exhibitions and many travelling exhibitions. Finally, a walk in the shopping street par excellence of the Swiss city: via Nassa, an elegant and refined street where you can shop in the latest fashion before leaving.
Perhaps its most famous attraction is the magnificent lake, a destination for tourists from all over Europe. Also called Ceresio, Lake Lugano has a rather unusual extension, since part of it is Italian, i.e. belonging to the provinces of Varese and Como, and part to the Canton of Ticino. Of all the mountains, Monte Generoso, at 1700 metres, is the highest. Two funicular railways will take you to Lugano's most important mountains, Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè, and a cable car will take you to Serpiano, from where you can access the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte San Giorgio, where fossils of an ancient subtropical sea have been found. If you wish, you can take a cruise to admire the beauty of the region: Morcote, with its imposing Renaissance church of Santa Maria del Sasso, or Gandria, a small fishing village on the shores of the lake. Around the lake, you can enjoy pleasant walks in one of the many parks: the Parco Scherrer in Morcote, with cedars, Mexican pines, eucalyptus and many other plants from all over the world; the Parco Belvedere, overlooking Lake Lugano, where in spring you can admire the spectacle of magnolias and camellias in full blossom and be enchanted by the scent and beauty of these flowers. Finally, you can relax in one of the many public baths on the shores of Lake Lugano, where you can rent parasols and deckchairs and entertain yourself with entertainment and fantastic cocktails by the lake.
What to do
You certainly won't be bored in Lugano, since you can range from nature, as described above, to art, to entertainment and, why not, the thrill of gambling, with its famous casino.
Cinestar Lugano
The CineStar is the most important cinema in the whole of Italian-speaking Switzerland. Located just a stone's throw from the centre of Lugano, it was founded in 1999 and comprises seven cinemas with a total of 1300 seats. But Cinestar is more than just a multiplex: the facility offers the possibility of organising both public and private events, such as festivals, company meetings and private screenings. The CineStar SA multiplex is located at Via Ciani 100, and can be easily reached by car through the Vedeggio-Cassarate tunnel; moreover, being located about 35 minutes from the centre, it can also be conveniently reached on foot along Via Trevano. Among the theatres present, there is a small hall for 3D projections and one with exclusive 4DX technology. Like any self-respecting multiplex, inside you will find bars where, in addition to the classic popcorn and fizzy drinks, you can enjoy ice cream, sweets and savoury snacks. Finally, the beautiful veranda is reserved for those who wish to celebrate their birthday in this magical place.
Casino Lugano
The famous Casino Lugano, formerly known as the Kursaal Theatre, was designed by the Italian architect Achille Sfondrini in 1804. Inside the building there is also a restaurant and a cafeteria called 'Elementi Ristorante'. There is a theatre in the casino, which was the venue for the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. This casino was the first gambling hall in Lugano, acquiring its licence in 1912. The Casino Lugano is open every day of the year, from Sunday to Thursday, from 12 noon to 4 a.m., and at weekends it is open until 5 a.m. The Elementi restaurant is also open every day of the year, to give players and casino-goers a tasteful break. And if the thrill of gambling crosses your spine, why not try a little wager in Switzerland's most famous casino? In moderation, mind you!