12 Beautiful Places to Visit in Ticino Switzerland

View over Ascona and Lake Maggiore. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

There are plenty of charming local shops and picturesque places at Via Cattedrale in Lugano, Ticino. Copyright by Switzerland Tourism

Springe awakening in Giornico, Ticino. The village is surrounded by vineyards and chestnut woods. The old village center consists mainly of stone houses. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

Evening view from Monte Bre (925 m) of Lugano and the San Salvatore (912 m). Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

View on Mount San Giorgio, UNESCO World Heritage site. Copyright by Ticino Turismo

Canton Ticino. San Carlo di Negrentino, view across the Bleniotal. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

Malcantone, the gently curving, densely overgrown, domed hilly landscape, that curves up from Lake Lugano to Monte Lema, derived its livelihood for centuries mainly from one product: the chestnut.

The canton of Ticino is the southern most canton in Switzerland, bordering Italy. It is Italian-speaking (the only canton with Italian as the sole official language!) and, as you’ll see in the photos below, has a large Italian influence and feel. As someone who very deeply loves both Switzerland and Italy, it is a place high on my list to visit!

Earlier this year I was invited to an event in San Francisco by my friends at Switzerland Tourism. During the event, a representative from Ticino talked a bit about it and I couldn’t believe how similar it looked to Italy. I had never heard of Ticino prior.

Ticino Switzerland has a very Mediterranean vibe, with beautiful beaches, palm trees, and sparkling blue waters. Similar to Italy, you’ll also often find charming alleyways, piazzas, churches and a mixture of city and country — something for everyone!

Since then I’ve been thinking about visiting, so I did some poking around the Switzerland Tourism site, researching all of the different places I’d like to visit. If you too would like to explore something a little more off-the-beaten path in Switzerland, here are X places to visit in Ticino, Switzerland.

Note: all photos below are via Switzerland Tourism and may not be reused without their permission.

12 Beautiful Places to Visit in Ticino Switzerland

Bellinzona by night, Canton Ticino. The Montebello castle is part of the extensive fortifications originating from the 12th to the 15th centuries.

Visit of the Castelgrande, UNESCO World Heritage. Copyright by Ticino Turismo

Bellinzona

Bellinzona is the capital of Ticino Switzerland. It is home to not one, not two, but *three* medieval castles — Castelgrande, Montebello, and Sasso Corbaro. They are said to be some of the most well preserved in all of Switzerland.

Cevio

Cevio is a tiny town in Ticino which made my list solely for the above historic bridge photo :)

Lugano

Lugano is a city situated on the northern shore of Lake Lugano. It is the largest town in Ticino yet has, my favorite, a car-free historic town centre!

Monte Bre is a funicular away from Lugano, offering panoramic views of the town, the lake, the mountains, and Italy. Monte San Salvatore can also be reached by funicular and has a panoramic footpath with breathtaking views.

In Lugano itself, don’t miss Parco Civico Ciani, a tranquil park, San Lorenzo Cathedral, or Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli.

Gambarogno

The “Riviera del Gambarogna” sits between Lake Maggiore and the mountains, offering breathtaking views. It has two hundred km of hiking trails and a magnificent botanical garden, the Botanical Garden of Gambarogno.

in addition to hiking, there are yoga trails, bike trails, and more. You can read about them on their tourist site here.

Intragna

Intragna is the capital of Centovalli, which means “Hundred Valleys”. The entire Centovalli is great for hiking,

Don’t miss the San Gottardo Church whose tower is the highest in Ticino. It dates back to 1722 and is a major attraction in Intragna, located in the heart of the city.

Spring on the lakeside promenade, Ascona. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

Hotel guests strolling on the beach in the sunset. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

View of waterfront in Ascona on Lake Maggiore direction Ronco. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

View from the Cardada observation deck of Lake Maggiore Ascona and the Brissago Islands. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

Hotel guests at the morning stand up paddling on lake Maggiore. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

Ascona

Ascona is often called the pearl of Lake Maggiore and it happens to be the spot that made me fall in love with Ticino in the first place! It is situated directly on the lake with a beautiful promenade, colorful houses, and tall palm trees.

Brissago

Brissago is a picturesque town on the shores of Lake Maggiore. There are also two Brissago Islands on Lake Maggiore, home to the Botanical Garden of Canton Ticino, the only botanical garden on an island in Switzerland! It houses 1,700 plant species on it.

Campora in the Valle di Muggio, Switzerland's southernmost valley, Canton Ticino. Copyright by: Switzerland Tourism

Valle di Muggio/the Muggio Valley

The Muggio Valley is a collection of nine peaceful and quiet villages. In 2014 it was recognized as Switzerland’s most beautiful landscape by the foundation for landscape conversation.

Corippo

Corippo is so small it has just 14 residents! It is the smallest in Switzerland and said to be one of the most picturesque in Ticino. The houses are all built from local Ticino granite and slate roofs, making them all beautifully uniform.

Bosco/Gurin

Bosco/Gurin is another incredibly small village, with a population of just 55. Despite Italian being in the official language of Ticino, Bosco/Gurin has historically been German-speaking!

Rasa

A very small car-free village in Centovalli Valley. You can arrive by foot from Palagnedra, Ronco, and Intragna via the Roman Bridge or from Corcapolo via the bridge of Salmina.