Locarno, elegant city with Mediterranean atmosphere
Locarno boasts no less than 2,300 hours of sunshine a year! Wandering the streets of the old town, admire the view on the lake and wonder at the beauty of the famous Piazza Grande.
Main attractions and visits in Locarno
Benefiting from the mildest climate in Switzerland, Locarno offers, above all, an extraordinary natural setting where lemon groves, palm trees, magnolias and other Mediterranean plants blossom. It is especially relaxing to stroll through the old town admiring its Italian-style architecture. Do not miss a stop in one of the lavish municipal gardens and enjoy a drink on the terrace of a café or restaurant. From Piazza Grande, with its arcades of typical Lombard style, stroll across town and venture into one of the city’s many art galleries. Then venture to the Castello Visconteo, an imposing fortress dating from the twelfth century, which houses an archaeological museum. You will be able to admire a collection of objects discovered in the area dating from the end of the Bronze Age until the Middle Ages. The showpiece of the Museum is its rich collection of Roman glass, discovered in Ticino.
On the heights of Locarno, the pilgrimage church of Madonna del Sasso was built after an apparition of the Virgin Mary. This site offers a breath-taking view of the city, the lake and the mountains and is one of the main attractions of Locarno, including many different water activities on the Lake Maggiore. The Lido Locarno offers the possibility of an enchanting swim in the Lake, at the heart of an extraordinary alpine landscape. In August, Locarno hosts the International Film Festival, which transforms the city for 10 days into one of the largest open air cinemas in the world.
