Going to Ticino

What to do in Ticino

by Christine Loomis

Like other cantons of the Swiss Alps, Ticino is mountainous. Unlike others, however, it's primarily defined not by vertical peaks but by two blue lakes—Lago Maggiore and Lago di Lugano, both shared with Italy. Ticino is Switzerland's only Italian-speaking canton.

Ticino is famous for "palm-trees-to-glaciers" topography (it's said you can go from one to the other in an hour), and for a climate more balmy Mediterranean than crisp alpine. Switzerland's sunny south is a diverse playground for families, with everything from sailing and windsurfing to glacier trekking and snowboarding.

Lugano, on the north shore of Lago di Lugano, is the largest town and the closest to the region's international airport, making it an ideal starting or ending point. A number of Ticino's best family attractions are in this area,...

• Be the first to Review