A favourite location to visit!
My love affair with Lugano began when I visited as a 12 year old, over the years it hasn't faded. I still think it's an incredibly beautiful part of the world. I love the location, the huge expanse of the lake surrounded by high mountains. I've only ever been in summer so can only imagine how lovely it is when there's snow on the mountains.
I normally visit as part of a day trip from Como, catching the train there takes about 40 minutes (much of that time is taken for the border crossing!) and the last part is very pretty as the train winds around Lake Lugano.
The Lugano train station is up on the hill above the lake, just across from the station is the cathedral of San Lorenzo. (St. Lawrence). Whilst there's evidence of a church on the site going back to 818, the current church dates back to more modern renovations done from 1905 to 1910. It's lovely and well worth a quick visit on your way down to the lake.
San Lorenzo altar
Interior of the San Lorenzo Cathedral
There's quite a steep path that takes you down to the lake, lots of huffing and puffing on the way back up to the train station!
Pedestrian path down to the lake
Once down at the lakeside area there's a tight collection of buildings spread out along the lake front.
A small goods store that was very popular with morning shoppers! (This photo was taken in the less crowded afternoon)
The main square
Many of the major buildings are banks, Lugano is Switzerland's third major banking centre after Geneva and Zurich.
Lake Lugano
Despite having been to Lugano many times before I still managed to explore an area that I hadn't seen before. I decided to walk along the lake, I went left at the main square and kept walking and ended up in a gorgeous park. The park had been part of a private villa and the owners donated the villa and gardens to the city of Lugano and it's there for everyone to enjoy.
Parco Ciani
The gate looking out onto the lake was a very popular spot for photos! There literally was a queue of people waiting to pose and have their photos taken. The park is called Parco Ciani after the Ciani brothers who owned the villa and gardens.
My view as I enjoyed an ice-cream and then was entertained by a young woman who was travelling on her own but was determined to get that perfect picture. She nicely asked people walking by to take her photo with the lake in the background and then posed 'instagram style' (head looking down or pouting at camera or chest out.) I was amused!
There were an assortment of stainless steel sculptures around so I assumed Lugano must be hosting an art exhibition. These iceberg sculptures were the ones I liked the most.
Parco Ciani beach, looking back on the city centre
Looking back on the city centre, you can see the bell tower of the San Lorenzo cathedral and the red historic building on the right is the historic train station building.
Santa Maria degli Angioli, historic church down by the lake.
I went back to the city centre to have lunch and then walked a short distance through the expensive part of town! As evidenced by the designer shops and jewellery stores. I stopped at the small church down by the lake.
Santa Maria degli Angioli has a huge fresco painted in the 16th century, it's called 'The Passion and the Crucifixion' painted by Bernadino Luini (a disciple of Leonardo (da Vinci!) according to an information guide) It's unusual as catholic churches normally don't have a wall restricting the view of the altar, the fresco has 153 heads, including soldiers and people in the crowd.
The Passion and the Crucifixion
Funicular degli Angioli
Just next to the church I was curious to see this unused funicular. People were using the stairs to get up the hill. Did some research (I googled!) Turns out the funicular was opened in 1913 to get people up the hill to the Hotel Bristol, the owner donated the funicular to the city in 1973. The hotel then closed in 1981 and the funicular 5 years later. Last year a competition was announced looking to ideas as to how best to use the funicular, so hopefully it will get restored in some way. It was a very simple funicular, with one track, just one car going up and down.
Lakeside chess
Late in the afternoon I climbed back up the hill to the train station to catch the train back to Como.
Historic railway building
The train station has been extended with a new part since I last was in Lugano and the historic station building has been restored. I also discovered the under the road tunnel to get me into the station rather than climbing all the way to the main road, then climb the overpass to get into the station!
I normally visit as part of a day trip from Como, catching the train there takes about 40 minutes (much of that time is taken for the border crossing!) and the last part is very pretty as the train winds around Lake Lugano.
The Lugano train station is up on the hill above the lake, just across from the station is the cathedral of San Lorenzo. (St. Lawrence). Whilst there's evidence of a church on the site going back to 818, the current church dates back to more modern renovations done from 1905 to 1910. It's lovely and well worth a quick visit on your way down to the lake.
There's quite a steep path that takes you down to the lake, lots of huffing and puffing on the way back up to the train station!
Once down at the lakeside area there's a tight collection of buildings spread out along the lake front.
Many of the major buildings are banks, Lugano is Switzerland's third major banking centre after Geneva and Zurich.
Despite having been to Lugano many times before I still managed to explore an area that I hadn't seen before. I decided to walk along the lake, I went left at the main square and kept walking and ended up in a gorgeous park. The park had been part of a private villa and the owners donated the villa and gardens to the city of Lugano and it's there for everyone to enjoy.
The gate looking out onto the lake was a very popular spot for photos! There literally was a queue of people waiting to pose and have their photos taken. The park is called Parco Ciani after the Ciani brothers who owned the villa and gardens.
My view as I enjoyed an ice-cream and then was entertained by a young woman who was travelling on her own but was determined to get that perfect picture. She nicely asked people walking by to take her photo with the lake in the background and then posed 'instagram style' (head looking down or pouting at camera or chest out.) I was amused!
There were an assortment of stainless steel sculptures around so I assumed Lugano must be hosting an art exhibition. These iceberg sculptures were the ones I liked the most.
I went back to the city centre to have lunch and then walked a short distance through the expensive part of town! As evidenced by the designer shops and jewellery stores. I stopped at the small church down by the lake.
Santa Maria degli Angioli has a huge fresco painted in the 16th century, it's called 'The Passion and the Crucifixion' painted by Bernadino Luini (a disciple of Leonardo (da Vinci!) according to an information guide) It's unusual as catholic churches normally don't have a wall restricting the view of the altar, the fresco has 153 heads, including soldiers and people in the crowd.
Just next to the church I was curious to see this unused funicular. People were using the stairs to get up the hill. Did some research (I googled!) Turns out the funicular was opened in 1913 to get people up the hill to the Hotel Bristol, the owner donated the funicular to the city in 1973. The hotel then closed in 1981 and the funicular 5 years later. Last year a competition was announced looking to ideas as to how best to use the funicular, so hopefully it will get restored in some way. It was a very simple funicular, with one track, just one car going up and down.
Late in the afternoon I climbed back up the hill to the train station to catch the train back to Como.
The train station has been extended with a new part since I last was in Lugano and the historic station building has been restored. I also discovered the under the road tunnel to get me into the station rather than climbing all the way to the main road, then climb the overpass to get into the station!
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