Two beautiful towns on Lake Maggiore. Locarno is home to the Locarno International Film Festival and Ascona is a favorite location for summer travelers in the region. These are hubs when traveling to Minusio, Muralto, Orselina and the Castello Visconteo.
From the Bellinzona UNESCO World Heritage website:
Bellinzona’s castles are considered amongst the finest examples of medieval fortification architecture in Switzerland. As they appear today, the fortifications, whose origins actually go much further back to a prehistoric settlement on Castelgrande hill, are mainly the result of intensive and complex building activity instigated by the Dukes of Milan in the 15th century.
Weddings are also held at the castles (look for some of the photos in our Gallery section), with spectacular views and a wonderful restaurant located inside.
Photo by Ivan Wagner
For more information about Bellinzona and its history, you can visit the UNESCO site here.
With a website that doesn’t quite do it justice, Hotel de la Paix is a luxury hotel located just above the Lake of Lugano.
From the brochure:
The Hotel de la Paix is located close to Lake Lugano and at walking distance from the city center, 5 km from the Lugano-Agno airport, 1 km from the train station and offers exclusively to its guests a large private parking. Its multilingual staff will be delighted to welcome you with warmth and cordiality.
Our property was stylishly transformed and expanded out of an 18th century villa and now offers excellent modern facilities and a unique combination of modern comfort and luxurious elegance.
The garden-terrace with its heated swimming pool in summer and the portico are ideal places to spend relaxing moments and admire the magnificent amphitheatre formed by the surrounding mountains.
Website: http://www.delapaix.ch/
From Wikipedia:
Gandria is a small, picturesque village on the shore of Lake Lugano in Switzerland. The historically protected center (nucleo), which is not accessible by car, attracts visitors from all over the world.
Boat service between Gandria and other towns on the lake is regular, and it is also possible to walk from Gandria to Lugano and other surrounding villages via a publicly maintained footpath hewn into the rock in 1936. This path (now branded the olive path by the Tourism Bureau) between Gandria and Castagnola leads along plantations of olive trees and offers splendid views of the Lake of Lugano.
Photo by Nitatravels
Photo by Seriousfunk
Photo by Raindog
With the remoteness of the village, small old-fashioned roads and beautiful lake views, Gandria is ideal for your smaller events.
For more information Click here.
From the Website:
Once the home of a noble Russian family, the impressive mansion was transformed into a hotel in 1885. A hotelier-family from Luzern made its reputation growth over three generations.
Since 1885 the Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola has been able to welcome guests in the heart of Lugano. “Villa, art and gastronomy are the essence of our philosophy”. You may encounter a private and elegant ambience in a beautiful surrounding.
It is our greatest aim to render your stay with us unforgettable and to make you feel at home.
An extremely elegant place in a wonderful location, Villa Castagnola has found itself the preferred venue for many events, including art exhibitions, boasting amenities such as “an indoor swimming pool, tennis court, private lido on the lake, fitness centre, bio-sauna, calidarium, steam room, solarium, Clarins Beauty Corner and Danilo Hair Styling.”
