Grand Tour Highlights in Ticino

The St. Gotthard Pass is one of the most legendary Alpine crossings. Drive through historic switchbacks, visit a museum full of history and immerse yourself in a landscape between rocks and mountain lakes.

The Monte Brè funicular takes you from Lugano to an altitude of 933 meters. From the summit you can see Lake Lugano, the Valais and Bernese Alps and the Monte Rosa massif. The railway has been running since 1908.

The old beech forests in Valle di Lodano in Vallemaggia are an enormous forest reservation set amidst a fascinating landscape with numerous natural elements and testimony of past human activities.

Its summit offers up magnificent views and those inclined to scratch about on it will be left with the impression that marine fauna and other large animals once lived here.

Ascona – the jewel on Lake Maggiore. Stroll along the famous lakeside promenade with its colourful houses and many cafés, look out over the lake and the wonderful mountain scenery, explore the old town and enjoy the Mediterranean flair of this town in Ticino.

The fortifications of Bellinzona are an extraordinary example of a late-medieval defensive structure located at a key strategic point on the Alpine pass. The castles of Bellinzona are among the most marvelous examples of medieval fortified architecture in the Alps.