A Dream Trip - The Lake, Swans, Mountain And Olive Trees

Visit Lugano, Swiss city located in the southern part of Italian canton, Ticino, and get ready for an exquisite experience of your life - you will feed local swan at the lake, get panoramic view of Sant Salvatore mountain and get amazed by beauty of nature at Olive Grove Trail. Are you excited? Let's start!
The local attractions are within walking distance. Park your car here and let's get going!

The park Ciani with magnificent decorative gate to the lake Lugano is situated close to the bustling downtown of the city. It is considered as green lungs of Lugano and willingly chosen as a place of leisure and relax both by locals and tourists. With the impressive 63,000m2 of the land this park will interest you with many worth marked spots like hundred years old trees, fountains, sculptures and plant species from all across the world. You will find here typical for Italian part of Switzerland, which is large Canton Ticino type of trees like sycamores, lime or plane trees. While your walk here you will pass the buildings which are integral part of the area: Villa Ciani, Cantonal Natural History Museum or Palazzo dei Congressi.
Take a walk around and enjoy one of the most beautiful parks in Switzerland and the scenery of the Lugano lake and distant San Salvatore mountain.

Couple minutes away from the parc Ciani you will see the public square which is called Piazza della Riforma bustling with life, main place of events, festivals like Blues to Bop, Estival Jazz and a perfect, centrally located place to have a meal as there is plenty of options around.
Exactly in here in the time when this square used to be called Piazza Grande in 1798 as a result of political events, the town of Lugano gained long-awaited independence announced by twelve cantons of Zurich.
Take a look at the Town Hall built in 18th century where in the atrium you will notice five standing there statues well-known in Swiss history like Dominico Fontana, architect and engineer or Giocondo Albertolii, a neoclassical architect. In the building, which is also designed in the style typical for Neoclassicism houses, you will find local tourist office Ente Turistico del Luganese.
Open Hours: Monday - Friday: 9:00 - 17:30 Saturday: 9:00 - 17:00 Sunday: 10:00 - 16:00

Situated on the pleasant city promenade beside the lake, this church is famous for the fact which you will find inside - the best fresco from the early Renaissance presenting the imposing depiction which has been done by Leonardo da Vinci's pupil, Bernardo Luini, and showing the Christ's Passion and Crucifixion live scene including over hundred and fifty characters.
The building itself, constructed in 15century, former convent of Father of San Francesco can be easily found, and it is definitely worth to visit to admire magnificent mural painting.
Open Hours: Monday - Sunday: 8:30 - 18:00
For further information, visit official website

Go back to your car and drive to the Paradiso train station, where you will take a funicular(a cable car) to the San Salvatore mountain.

You will leave your car here up to 6 hours. It is time to catch the funicular to San Salvadore mountain!

Majestic San Salvatore mountain rises proudly not far from the busy center of Lugano and provides peaceful promise to those who arrive to its top.
The Monte San Salvatore Funicolare has been running successively since 1890. The whole journey takes 12 minutes, while you will admire the stunning views of the area. You will find this station at Paradiso few minutes away from Paradiso-Lugano train station - look for intensively red building with some white ornaments. The process of purchasing a ticket is straight forward on the spot, a soon you will be able to enjoy the views from the summit of this mountain.
Check Open Hours on the official website. Runs every 30 minutes

San Salvatore mountain called the Sugarloaf Mountain of Switzerland is considered as a symbol of Lugano.
With 360 degrees of the panoramic view over the astonishing Lugano lake, lake Caresio and majestic summits of the Savoy and Swiss Alps on the horizon, untouched breathtaking nature vista and hiking trails terrains, the adventures via ferrata special trail and...delicious cuisine on the spot this mountain offers you an entire complex of experiences.
The trails are clearly marked with yellow boards, and you can choose between Carona with botancl garden of San Grato (if you go to Melide you will see the famous Swissminiatur Park- open-air museum showcasing the most known building of Switzerland in 1:25 scale) , Morcote, Carabbia or Figino. The time of hiking to those destinations various varies between one to almost three hours.
Take a look at this picturesque Swiss landscape consisting at this occasion the local Lugano lake, notice the characteristic cross from the church roof while standing on the mountain Capodoro Terrace.

You will continue your unforgettable experience visiting monte San Salvadore while having delicious launch at this elegant restaurant where from the terrace you will have an unrestricted stunning view of beautiful the Ticino Alpen landscape where you can spot Milan and even Mount Rosa.
The ristorante offers inspired by Mediterranean cuisine and also Swiss, gourmet menu prepared from fresh seasonal produce. Enjoy the meal, maybe perch fillets with butter sauce and sage served with Parmesan risotto followed by panna cotta with red berry sauce?)in this absolutely fantastic scenery.
Open Hours - works in conjunction with funicular timetable

Return to the cable car station and take funicolare back down to Paradiso station in the city. More adventures are awaiting for you!

You are back in Paradiso at Funicolare San Salvatore station. Walk to the parking space to get to the new destination.

Pick up your car from this parking lot and drive towards the park Ciani to start your Olive Tree trail.

Leave your cat at this spacious public parking, which is located at the beginning of the sentiero dell olivo trail.

You will start this beautiful path from the side of Castagnola village (which is just above you) going toward charming Gandria where you will have dinner at the shore of the Lugano lake. With the picturesque panorama of lake and mountains in the background, this trail launched in 2002 is 3.3 km long and is a pleasant walk through the olive trees and woods. During your hike, you will see 18 information boards telling you about the richness of this area - olive farming, oil, olives and botany and the history as well. On your way through the ancient magnificent olive groves you will pass for example shores of San Dominico where you will learn technique how to make olives digestible or in Triverli how to support production and health of the olive trees. After arriving in Gandria you will see 10 meter high trees and the historic olive press as a reminder of the main trade i the village.
Recommendations: Comfortable shoes

Stop for a moment at this view spot to admire the incredible scenery of water, mountains and nature.

The village of Gandria has an honor to be on the list of one of the most beautiful lakeside communities in Ticino. The well-preserved houses facades are reflected in the water of Ceresio Lake and some buildings dating since 17th century are stuccoed and frescoed. The village is connected with Lugano and other villages by ferry and bus.
Before taking a look around this picturesque village - you will have dinner at local restaurant sitting at the bank of the local lakes and the village, serving seasonal, traditional delicious with the pinch of unusual creative approach meals which varied every month inspired by Mediterranean, Italian and Swiss cousine.
The artichoke tarte tatin and strawberry desert are worth to try and obviously the high quality olive oil and fresh homade bread are literally to die for! Enjoy your fine dining in the terrace surrounded by scenic views.
Open Hours: Monday - Wednesday: Closed Lunch Friday - Saturday by reservation Sunday: 12:00 - 14:00 Dinner Thursday - Sunday: 19:00 - 22:00
Make a reservation via e-mail: [email protected]

Take a stroll around streets of the Gandria village, you will pass on your way the shop of local pottery artist. You can also make a purchase of his products in the online shop. Take some photos of this social media friendly place and for your travelling photo album.

On your way back again through the Olive Tree Path towards the stop where you left your car, you can once again during your walk admire the beauty of the nature and simplicity at its best.

Pick up your car from here and drive to your accommodation for tonight.

Take a good sleep at this stylish, for almost century family run hotel located on the lake and at the bottom of Mountain Bre hotel offering a personalized service. The hotel has its own wharf and thanks to its position on the Lugano lake you will, as a guest, have a private lake access.