The Best Picnic Spots in Lugano (2023 Edition)
On warm spring and summer days in Lugano, a picnic is always a good idea with or without COVID-19 restrictions. The beautiful lake and the majestic mountains surrounding the city invite you to discover the nature and take a break to just sit down, eat good food and enjoy life. I have made a list of my all time favourite picnic spots around Lugano (and some around the Ticino area) which I hope you will enjoy.
When looking for food to bring on your picnic you can always rely on Coop, Migros or Manor which also has a food section in the centre of Lugano. If you want something a little more special head to a bakery or to Gabbani for some delicious take away food.
Parks
Lugano is surrounded by nature which means you won’t have much trouble finding a nice spot for your delicious picnic. I have made a selection of my favourite parks and nature locations in and around the city where you will be able to enjoy the best of what this area has to offer.
1) Sentiero degli Ulivi - This is by far my all time favourite spot in all of Lugano. The Sentiero deli Ulivi (or Olive Path) is located in Gandria - a quick walk from the center (you can also travel here by bus or car). The path starts in Castagnola and ends in Gandria and you can then decide if you want to walk back or you can also take a boat back to Lugano. The path is filled with beautiful spots where you can sit on benches or on patches of grass, the views are stunning and it’s really the all time best picnic spot around the area. The path is around 3 km long (one way) and will take you through some of the oldest olive tree plantations in Ticino.
2) Parco San Grato - Another one of my all time favourite places in Lugano is Parco San Grato, located in Carona. The park is open all year round and admission free and it’s the absolute dream if you love flowers - it’s located around 700 meters above sea level so you have beautiful lake views, are in the mountains but feel like your are in botanical heaven. To make things even better the park also has a playground for kids and is very family friendly. It’s large enough for everyone to have their own space and enjoy their time.
3) Parco San Michele - Here you will find some of the most amazing views over the city. Parco San Michele is located in Castagnola and can be reached by foot, bus or car from the city center. Parco San Michele offers the tranquility of feeling like you’re so far from the city while being extremely close. Here you will find plenty of benches and grass spots for your picnic.
4) Parco Ciani - Parco Ciani is the main park in Lugano and, even though it was never on my top list of favourite places it has gone through a lot of changes during the past year and has become a very nice and relaxing place. Parco Ciani is the perfect picnic spot if you have children as it also has a playground and you have both the park and the lake at your disposal. I suggest you do your picnic close to Foce del Cassarate for the best views.
5) Monte Bré - Monte Bré’s summit lies at 933 meters above sea level which means amazing views are guaranteed. It’s also considered to be one of the sunniest points in Lugano which means it’s also perfect for an evening picnic with sunset views. You can reach Monte Bré by car, bus or funicular (the funicular is super cute and worth it). On top you will find plenty of spaces for a perfect picnic.
6) Parco del Tassino - Parco del Tassino is another park located right in the city center (close to the railway station). It’s quite quiet and has god views of the lake. I recommend this picnic spot if you don’t have much time or if you’re close to town and want to move away from the crowds a bit.
7) Sasso delle Parole - Sasso delle Parole is a very special place in Collina D’Oro - this is where poet, novelist and painter Hermann Hesse used to go to find peace and quiet and paint. There are many paths you can walk around near Sasso delle Parole and you will discover a different Lugano from what you are used to - not many tourists, a lot of nature and peace. Taking a little picnic break close to Sasso delle Parole is absolutely magical and you will be blown away by the beautiful views.
8) San Salvatore - San Salvatore is Lugano’s biggest symbol and its summit reaches over 900 meters above sea level. You can reach the top either by hiking up or by taking the lovely funicular. On the San Salvatore you will find plenty of spots to stop and have a nice picnic, just be aware it can be quite crowded. The best thing you can do is take the funicular up, then do the Panorama Trail to Morcote (10km) and stop along the way for your picnic.
By the Lake
Even though Lugano is right by the water, you won’t find many places in the city center where you can picnic by the lake peacefully. Thankfully there are a lot of magical places a bit outside of the city center which are easily reachable by car or bus.
1) Morcote - Morcote is one of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland, in fact it was voted as the most beautiful village in 2016. Going to Morcote is like being on vacation (even for someone from Lugano). The air just seems different and everything goes a little slower. In Morcote you will find many small parks and benches where you can have a lovely picnic but one of my favourite spots is up by the church - it has great views and not too many crowds.
2) Lago di Muzzano - Lago di Muzzano is a cute lake by the town of Muzzano (reachable by car or bus). Here you won’t find many tourists and will be able to enjoy some alone time. The circular walk along the lake is really nice and you can stop and do your picnic wherever you want. The only downer is that you cannot swim in the Muzzano Lake.
3) LAC - The LAC or “Lugano Arte e Cultura” is the new building right by the lake in the center of town. In front of LAC, right by the water you will find plenty of benches to sit on and green patches to lie on and have your picnic. The negative aspect is that you’ll be very close to the street and there will probably be lots of people, the positive aspect is that LAC has 2 cute bars where you can get your drinks or even your food to eat by the lake. Perfect place for an apero picnic.
4) Villa Favorita - Villa Favorita is one of the most beautiful properties around Lake Lugano and you can freely stroll around it’s garden, where you can lie down, suntan and have your lovely picnic unbothered by all the chaos of the city. You can also do the Sentiero degli Ulivi at the same time as they are really close to one another.
Other great places
There are other great picnic spots in Ticino that are great for a day trip from Lugano which we can highly recommend. The first is reachable by car or bus and its Valle Verzasca a valley in the Locarno district. Valle Verzasca is very famous for its crystal clear waters and because it was named “The Maldives of Switzerland” a couple of years ago. This unfortunately brought a lot of tourism which means that on warm summer days you won’t be alone. If you want a little more peace and quiet head to the Cascate della Piumogna, a beautiful 43 meter high waterfall close to Faido.
If you’re more into culture we suggest you take your picnic to one of the Bellinzona Castles. Our favourite castle is Sasso Corbaro located a bit higher up than the other 2 castles which means less people and a better view for your picnic.
If you want to see beautiful churches and have a quiet spot to lay down your picnic I recommend you head to Chiesa di San Nicolao in Gironico, Tempio di Santa Croce in Riva San Vitale or my all time favourite Chiesa di S. Abbondio in Gentilino.
If hiking and walking is more your thing then you can’t miss out on a picnic on one of these beautiful muntains: Monte Lema / Monte Tamaro, Monte Generoso, Monte San Giorgio or Monte Bar. Monte Bar being the closest to Lugano. Unfortunately public transport is not great in Ticino and it’s always easiest to travel around by car if you wish to see places outside of the cities.
We hope you enjoy your picnic in one of the best picnic spots in town and let us know if you have any secret spots which should be added to our list.
