Group Excursions in Ticino

A singularly beautiful panorama of the pre-Alpine landscape, the lakes and the snow-capped Alps. The Santa Maria degli Angeli chapel, designed by world-famous architect Mario Botta, is a marvel of contemporary architecture and features paintings by Enzo Cucchi.

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.

One of the world’s steepest funicular railways departs from Leventina for the Ritomsee lake. Built by Swiss Federal Railways in 1917 to aid with the construction of the reservoir and power station, the little red train has been carrying 100 people per hour to the recreation area around the mountain lakes in the Val Piora since 1921.

Lugano’s home mountain and pinnacle of enjoyment - that’s San Salvatore! The striking mountain south of the town boasts 360° views over the lake and environs, far south and to the high Alps in the west.The funicular railway up this landmark mountain starts in Lugano-Paradiso.

Every Saturday from the beginning of April to the end of October, there is an interesting guided walking tour of the city. It offers the chance to discover the new Lugano train station, and the recently restored cathedral and to see the city from above.

Did you know that Lugano boasts a unique Mediterranean-style climate that allows olive trees, cork oaks and palm trees to flourish side-by-side?

A unique and unforgettable experience is waiting for you at Montebello Castle: make your very own Salame dei Castelli di Bellinzona and discover the secrets of this traditional Ticino speciality! The visit is rounded off with an aperitif of Ticino specialities and wines served in the fabulous castle garden.

A unique experience is waiting for you at Alp Piora: be enchanted by the traditions of alpine life and the secrets of its famous specialities. After a hike along the Lago Ritom nature trail, you and the master butchers of Ticinella (Rapelli SA) will discover the exclusive Prosciutto dell’Alpe Piora and the maturation cellar where the raw ham is gradually refined by the aromas of the high mountains. The visit is rounded off with an aperitif of typical Ticino specialities and wines.

In Ticino too, Christmas without it is unthinkable: Panettone, the airy and light Milanese cake specialty with candied fruits, belongs to the celebration just as a glass of prosecco does.

A scenic train ride takes its passengers to Camedo, where they find themselves surrounded by the green and wild nature of the Centovalli. The activities take place in the atmospheric setting of the recently renovated former train depot.

Mario Botta’s church in Mogno at the back of Maggia Valley represents human rebellion against the white death. It is an architectural masterpiece to aid against forgetting.

​The Treno Gottardo runs hourly over the 120-year-old Gotthard panorama line to the sun-kissed corner of Switzerland. The panoramic ride promises impressive views of rugged mountain faces and deep blue lakes as well as plenty of Mediterranean flair with palm trees and stately residences.

Chocolat Stella SA stands out with its production of traditional chocolate without sugar and with organic chocolate. They create various unique specialties like the famous "Moretti" and other confectionery without added sugar.

Choose the tasting most agreeable to your palate at one of the producers in the Lugano Region and let yourself be inspired by the various food and wine tasting events offered throughout the year.

With its gentle hills stretching as far as the Magadino plain, the Bellinzona e Valli region is packed with historical highlights. A leisurely e-bike tour through this impressive landscape is a particularly tempting prospect, especially when combined with the opportunity to sample the regional cuisine.

Since September 2015, LAC (Lugano Arte e Cultura) has been an impressive platform for contemporary creativity from southern Switzerland. The building by Ticino architect Ivano Gianola offers visitors art across 2500 square metres and a modern theatre and concert hall with space for 1000 guests.

The Gotthard Exhibition Cheese Dairy also features a restaurant and a store.

The “pyramid-shaped mountain” is full of fossilised fish and marine reptiles – a treasure trove 240 million years old. What was once a sea basin later gave way to Monte San Giorgio, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The modernised Fossil Museum in Meride exhibits a selection of fossilised animals and plants.

The Blenio Valley in Upper Ticino is a typical Ticino mountain valley. Densely forested mountain slopes rise majestically above the sunny valley floors far below.

You will experience and discover how the delicious specialities are produced.

Past and present: this exceptional tour through classical Lugano is packed with surprises for visitors. Historic figures appear along the way, presenting scenes from the past in entertaining ways.

The three-floor winery was designed by the famous architect Mario Botta. The top floor of the building features a sober yet elegant tasting room where seminars, events, wine tastings, cooking courses and dinners can be organised.

The Muggio Valley was once very nearly abandoned, but precisely because the locals place importance on their past, it now lives on into the future as an open-air museum.

Simple, authentic experiences for guests who, accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, wish to discover and visit farms, wineries and dairies, where they can learn about cultivation, wine-making and cheese-making techniques and then taste the delicious results.

There are many reasons to visit Avegno: the picturesque stone houses, the romantic location right on the Maggia, the chestnut trees. But Avegno is more than a typical Ticino village: anyone who follows the signposted village walk also explores a piece of Swiss farming history.

The Center is is suitable for courses in alpine ecology and hydrobiology, living nature, as well as laboratory work, seminars, workshops and conferences. The contents of scientific and educational courses must be determined by the organizing institutions or universities.

Go off to explore the medieval village through the 3D.

Enjoyable city tour of Ascona or Locarno on the electric "Bähnli", a narrow-gauge train.

This self-guided tour allows you to discover Lugano from the perspective of its street art.

At Lake Lugano, it is wonderfully easy to escape one’s daily routine: by enjoying a sunbath below palm trees, cruises on the lake or hiking tours through magnificent landscapes.

This route leads through Mendrisiotto, a traditional wine-growing region with an abundance of testimonies to history and art, sited amidst an impressive landscape.

A trip to the Breggia Gorges is a real time travelling experience. In this part of the Mendrisiotto along the Breggia River you will find some unusual geological formations.