The Perfect Weekend in Lugano
Lugano is in the southern part of Switzerland in the Ticino region and it’s one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see (yes, I’m probably also biased because I come from Lugano but I promise it won’t disappoint).
In Ticino Italian is spoken as the main language and you’ll notice that the vibes, the food and the people are much more closely related to Italy than to Switzerland - it’s a little Italy within Switzerland and has a little bit the best of both worlds. Tourists from all over the country flock to the Ticino region in the summer but also in March/April and October/November as these months tend to already bring bad weather to the northern part of Switzerland while the weather in Ticino is still mild.
Today I’ll share with you some of my favourite places, restaurants and things to do in and around Lugano, creating: The Perfect Weekend in Lugano. I hope you enjoy the read and this magical little city.
How to get there: If you are travelling from anywhere around Switzerland you can take the train to Lugano, from Zurich i’t a 2:20 hour ride. Public transport around Lugano is quite good but if you want the freedom to discover and move around you can also go by car (2.5 hours from Zürich).
Where to stay: Lugano has a lot of old school 5 star hotels but unfortunately they are quite expensive and not always refurbished. There are two places I absolutely love in Lugano, first is the Guesthouse Castagnola - a magical little place in Castagnola (one of the most beautiful areas in Lugano) and the second is the Hotel Bigatt which overlooks the city of Lugano and has a swimming pool and amazing views. Both places are beautiful but if you are looking for a hotel with breakfast, lunch, bar and dinner service I would recommend the Bigatt.
Below you will find my perfect weekend itinerary with restaurant options.
Weekend Itinerary:
Day 1 (Friday)
You will be arriving to Lugano Friday afternoon/evening, the perfect time to drop your bags of at the hotel, clean up and go for a walk around town. If you arrive early you can go for a beautiful walk at Sentiero dell’Ulivo in Gandria one of my all time favourite places. If you are visiting Lugano in the summer make sure to bring a bathing suit as there are many places where you can go into the lake for a dip. You can even go to the Lido San Domenico - a cute “badi” style bar and chill out place. When it’s time for dinner you have two different options today. If you want to take it easy and have a chilled evening head to Acqua e Farina for the best pizza in town. If you want something a little nicer with beautiful ambiance head to Grotto della Salute. Both places should be reserved in advance.
If you are still up for a drink then head to town and go to La Dispensa or Auberge. If it’s warm you can also just sit in the main piazza and enjoy the people watching with a drink.
Day 2 (Saturday)
Start your Saturday with a lovely breakfast in your hotel followed by:
Option 1: If you like to hike/walk in nature take your gear and head to San Salvatore. Depending on which hotel you choose you can either take the bus, car or walk to Lugano Paradiso. Once you have arrived at the station you have two options depending on the hike difficulty you want. 1) You take the cogwheel train up mount San Salvatore and from there hike down to Morcote (hike here) or 2) you can make it a little more exciting and hike up San Salvatore and then hike down to Morcote. If you decide to do the full hike it will take you around 5 hours, the shorter version will take 3 hours. With Option 1 you will probably eat something at the Ristorante Vetta San Salvatore unless you bring something with you.
Option 2: If you want nature but also want to fully live your gourmet weekend we highly recommend you head to Monte Generoso. Take your car/bus and head to the Capolago train station, from here you will take a cogwheel train up to Monte Generoso - we booked our roundtrip tickets here as they are cheaper. On top on the Monte Generoso you will find 50Km routes for hiking so you can really choose whatever suits you best. The highlight of Option 2 is also the restaurant on top of Monte Generoso - the Fiore di Pietra Restaurant made for true gastro lovers. Please make sure to book in advance.
In the evening go back to your hotel to relax a bit and prepare for dinner. For dinner there are again two options for you: the first option again is very chilled and extremely Ticinese - head to Grotto del Pep, a typical ticinese grotto (restaurant) for some ribs and polenta (there are also plenty of options for vegetarians). If again you want something a little fancier (and not touristy at all) then head to Osteria Gallo D’Oro - this is one of the best restaurants in Lugano and it’s a bit of a hidden gem as it’s not in the city center and almost no tourist go here.
Day 3 (Sunday)
As it is Sunday we planned an easy day for you to relax around Lugano and enjoy the beauty of it. Check out the LAC the new art and culture center, walk all the way to Castagnola or to Paradiso depending on where you are stying. Have an ice cream in Gelateria Veneta or relax at Lido Riva Caccia if it’s a warm summer day.
if you want your day to be a little more adventurous you can hike/ take the train up Monte Bré or if you didn’t get a chance to do it on the first day head to Sentiero dell’Ulivo in Gandria.
