The Canton of Ticino is a very interesting part of Switzerland, it is the wedge of the warm country that is almost completely surrounded by Italy. The culture here is decidedly Italian and you will hear Italian spoken almost everywhere, however Ticino has been controlled by the Swiss since the early 16th century.
The Canton of Ticino is incredibly beautiful, with a temperate climate and subtropical plants. Ticino is a great place to walk, bike or drive.
The best of Ticino
For walking, try the region north of Biasca, where the trail called Sentiero Basso will take you on the west bank of the river from Biasca to Acquarossa (just south of Torre on the map) in about 4 hours. Taking the path over the pass from Olivone is said to be the most scenic way out of Ticino.
The folks at the Lugano Tourist Office have put together 5 great mountain biking itineraries. Cyclists will also want to visit Cycling in Switzerland. A great printed reference for cycling in Ticino is Ticino Bike, which features detailed maps of cycling routes in Ticino. Ask for it at a tourist office; It is published by Fondazione La Svizzera en Bici.
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is ignored by most tourists in favor of the more dazzling lake cities to the south and west. But the Bellinzona hills offer three castles, and the city dominates an often disputed central valley. The old town is nice and Bellinzona is worth visiting for a relaxing day. The Bellinzona Tourist Office is located in the Palazzo Civico, the website is good to check, as is the Ticino Bellinzona tourism page.
If you are here in February, don’t miss the Bellinzona February Carnival, known as Rabadan, a large masked parade and festivities through the old town. The party starts the Thursday before Mardi Gras and continues all weekend. Another season even occurs in late June, when Bellinzona is home to Piazza Blues, which attracts many blues musicians.
Locarno
Locarno is the main Swiss resort on Lake Maggiore. The cobbled streets of the old town are packed with hikers on weekends, but are quieter during the week. The Locarno Tourist Office is located in the casino complex on Via Largo Zorzi, 100 meters southwest of the train station. You can also get PDF maps and brochures from the Locarno tourist office website. If you are in the area in spring, Locarno organizes a Camellia Festival in March.
Lugano and Ascona
Lugano is probably the busiest of the Swiss lakeside resorts. You can get to Lugano from Milan Malpensa airport via the Bus Express. The Lugano tourist office is located at the Palazzo Civico on Riva Albertolli, just opposite the main jetty.
Near Lugano is Ascona, which hosts the JazzAscona festival in late June.
How to get there
All cities mentioned in Ticino are served by rail service, most along the main route, as indicated by the thick golden line on the map. Locarno to Domodossola is served by the Centovalli railway.
If you want to drive, the A2 Milano-Basel and A13 Locarno-Chur motorways can quickly take you to Ticino.
If you plan to fly, there is a small international airport in Lugano, but nearby is Milan’s Malpensa, which is just south of Varese on the map.
