Lugano lies in a bay on the northern side of Lake Lugano, surrounded by numerous mountains offering splendid viewpoints. The traffic-free historic town center, the numerous buildings in the Italianate Lombardy style, the exclusive museums, the mountains, the lake, and a packed calendar of events all invite visitors to see the sights, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy dolce far niente.
Thanks to its mild climate, Lugano is a popular tourist destination in the spring when the camellias are in bloom. The town center, with its Mediterranean-style squares and arcades, and numerous parks with sub-tropical plants, such as the Parco Civico on the shores of the lake, invite you to laze around, enjoying the atmosphere. By the lakeside promenade are the Belvedere Gardens, where the parkland boasts not only camellias and magnolias but also countless sub-tropical plants and modern works of art.
Art connoisseurs are attracted to this city of art and architecture by the high standard of the exhibitions it hosts. In the MASI (Museo d’Arte Della Svizzera Italiana) are paintings by Klee, Jawlensky, Renoir, and Degas, among others. In the last 50 years, the Ticino region, and Lugano in particular, have developed into an important region for architecture. The most well-known representatives of the Ticino School are Luigi Snozzi and Mario Botta. Enjoy the Mediterranean temperatures and the palm and olive trees. If you really want to relax, just sit at a table in one of the squares. And do what everyone does here: eat, chat, and enjoy life.