Lugano is a quaint lake-side city in Switzerland’s southern region. Located very close to the Italian border, this country speaks Italian as their primary language and makes for a great day trip or weekend getaway if you find yourself in northern Italy. It has it all: a huge lake with tons of activities, surrounding mountains to explore, a mix of Swiss-Mediterranean cuisine and culture, and fantastic views throughout the city. I took a day trip to Lugano from Milan, and had a little less than 12 hours to see what it was all about.
How to get there:
Lugano has a train station that connects it to various nearby cities. I started from Milan and took a train to Lugano, which took a little under 2 hours each way and cost around €30 round trip. Trains can also take you to Lugano from other northern Italian cities like Venice or Turin, but may take a bit longer and cost a bit more. Essentially any city in Switzerland can connect you to Lugano by train as well. There’s also a domestic airport in Lugano located about 6km from the city center, but flights are only serviced here from Zurich and Geneva.
Where to stay:
I didn’t stay overnight in Lugano and made my way back to Milan in the evening. After some shallow research I found that there’s 2 hostels to choose from, averaging around €25 for a dorm, or several hotels from mid-range to luxurious, depending on your preferences. Given the small nature of the town, there is no better/worse area to stay in, but given the choice, opt for an upper-level room so you can see views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
Getting around:
You can easily walk from the train station to the city center in under 5 minutes. The town itself is small, again, so your best bet is walking the city on foot. You can also rent bikes to ride around the lake, or alternatively take a boat tour for other sweet views, but we’ll get to that later!
What to do:
When I first arrive to a city, I usually like to meander through the town, eat, and get a feel for the place. Grab a glass of wine and some local food at one of the many restaurants in the wide-open plazas to introduce yourself to Lugano. After your meal, there’s lots of activities to partake in! If you like to hike, you’ll be happy to hear that there’s great trails all over Lugano. The primary ones are up Monte San Salvatore and Monte Bré, which both offer spectacular views from the top, and take approximately 2 hours. If you’re short on time (like me), there are also cable cars that take you to the summit of these mountains for around €25 each, roundtrip. It’s chilly up there even in summer, so bring a jacket! I spent a couple hours up here, writing in my journal and just relishing in those sweeping views. Switzerland is unparalleled in terms of natural scenery, and Lugano was no exception!
Finally, you can’t leave Lugano without taking a boat tour around the lake. For around €20, you get a 2-hour grand tour of the lake which stops at different villages and sights of interest along the perimeter. It gives you a different perspective of the location than you see from both the town or the top of the mountain. It was a lovely end to my day in Lugano, and definitely worth the price to me.
Other tips:
Lugano uses the Swiss Franc, like the rest of Switzerland, but due to it’s close proximity to Italy, they also widely accept the Euro here. There are several ATMs and exchange offices that can give you both Euro and Franc. It’s a bit on the expensive side here, as the rest of the country, so budget yourself about €15 per meal at a normal, street side restaurant. On a strict budget, I ate a McDonalds to keep costs low :P. Have fun!
