In September I spent a month in Switzerland for work reasons, and precisely a Lugano, in the Canton of Ticino. The first impact I must say was that it was not the best, the roads are bad, with all the consequences of the case, traffic (at any time you decide to leave there are always very long lines), smog and noise. Another thing that left me a bit perplexed is architecture; we probably have too strict zoning plans, but seeing concrete giants on the slopes of almost untouched mountains and hills seems a bit exaggerated to me.
Let's say I didn't start on the right foot, but I soon changed my mind. I first discovered the pleasure of walking along the lake of Lugano, especially within the municipal villa Ciani (where the photo was taken), which has a truly wonderful garden that can be accessed for free. On my free days I also decided to visit the surroundings of Lugano, including Bellinzona with its beautiful castles, Locarno and Ascona located on Lake Maggiore and Ponte Tresa which is located on the border with Italy. I also took advantage of the good weather to do some mountain hike, the first on Mount San Salatore, reachable by the cable car that starts from Paradiso, and then on Mount Generoso on which you go up by means of a train rack.
In the end I must say that I was really satisfied with mine Swiss experience. I was surprised by the variety of things that this region offers, from landscapes to activities to kitchen which for a cheese lover like me is perfect. However, for those wishing to spend a few days in the surroundings of Lugano, remember that the prices are not the best (we know that in these parts the only thing that costs less than in Italy is petrol, which I was not even very interested in since I have a methane car), even if with some care you can save something. If you want to stay for a week or more it is definitely worth looking for an apartment, and in this regard I recommend the website of theLugano tourist office where you can find a number of holiday apartments and many useful tips.
You can send an email (they are very quick to answer) or call (they speak Italian so much); I assure you that they are very kind and will go out of their way to help you. Alternatively I recommend one very nice guesthouse and clean which is actually a pizza restaurant with some rooms, Pizzeria Grancia tel. 0041919948319. The only flaw, they only have one room with private bathroom. Another solution, certainly the cheapest, is that of stay in Italy near the border, for example in Laverna-Ponte Tresa, but keep in mind the traffic, intense especially during peak hours (this solution is excellent in summer, especially August when traffic is minimal).
Finally a tip on where to eat; always keep in mind that the prices are very high (for a pizza you can even spend 20 €) it is therefore convenient to adapt to eat a few sandwiches the day (perhaps buying it in some supermarket, such as Migros located in the industrial area of ​​Grancia), but if you want to taste some typical dish at an honest price I recommend the restaurant Grotto Morchino a stone's throw from Lugano. Along the road on which this restaurant is located there are other “grotti”, the name by which the typical ones are called Ticino taverns.
I hope I managed to intrigue you at least a little and that my advice is useful to you.
