Lugano: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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CHF 151 - 254 Hotel Walter Au Lac
 Situated on the lake promenade near the traffic-free centre of Lugano, Hotel Walter Au Lac offers you air-conditoned rooms, all with superb lake views… MoreCHF 27 - 130 Hotel&Hostel Montarina
 The Hotel&Hostel Montarina occupies a historic Villa built around 1860, only 200 meters from the Lugano train station. It offers a park with a pool, f… MoreCHF 80 - 154 Locanda Castagnola
 The family-run Locanda Castagnola is located close to the Villa Favorita and just 2 km from Lugano’s city centre. It offers a fine restaurant and fr… MoreCHF 80 - 205 Hotel Villa Marita
 Ideally situated in a quiet area surrounded by trees and parkland, 250 metres from the next bus stop, the family-owned Hotel Villa Marita welcomes you… MoreCHF 110 - 269 Hotel Vezia
 This original hotel in the “Fabulous Fifties” look is centrally located, 3 km from the lake and from Lugano’s city centre, and 1.5 km from the m… MoreCHF 84 - 196 Hotel Pestalozzi
 Set within the centre of Lugano, Hotel Pestalozzi is only 150 metres away from the shores of Lake Lugano. Bright rooms are offered.
The Pestalozzi’… MoreCHF 240 - 660 Hotel Splendide Royal
 Established in 1887, the 5-star Splendide Royal with its turn-of-the-century character is Lugano´s most fashionable hotel, located on Lugano&acu… MoreCHF 140 - 460 Lugano Dante Center Swiss Quality Hotel
 The Hotel Lugano Dante Center is situated on the quiet Piazza Cioccaro in the heart of Lugano, right at the funicular to the train station. It is famo… MoreCHF 119 - 329 Maraini Resort
 Situated in a peaceful park, the Maraini Resort is a 10-minute walk from Lugano´s city centre. It offers an indoor pool and apartments with balc… MoreCHF 423 - 1,030 Villa Principe Leopoldo Hotel & SPA
 Once a prince´s residence, The Villa Principe Leopoldo Hotel & Spa can be found amid a wonderful park high above Lugano, offering superb views o… MoreCHF 176 - 1,010 Villa Sassa Hotel & Spa
 The Villa Sassa Hotel & Spa offers breathtaking views over Lugano, the lake and surrounding mountains and is only a few minutes away from the city cen… MoreCHF 120 - 205 Victoria au Lac
 Housed in a historic lakeside building, the Victoria au Lac hotel in Lugano Paradiso offers you free wireless internet access and views of Lake Lugano… MoreCHF 255 - 825 Suitenhotel Parco Paradiso
 The Hotel Parco Paradiso offers spectacular views of Lugano and its lake. All spacious rooms and suites were recently refurbished and offer free wired… MoreCHF 180 - 740 Residence Principe Leopoldo
 Set amidst a peaceful garden, the Residence Principe Leopoldo offers a heated outdoor pool and 2 tennis courts. Every room features a balcony and free… MoreCHF 110 - 280 San Carlo Garni
 Situated in the centre of Lugano, on the elegant, pedestrianized Via Nassa close to the lake and the funicular, the San Carlo Garni hotel offers free … MoreCHF 165 - 320 Hotel Nassa Garni
 It’s a pleasure for us to introduce you our small hotel. In the south part of Switzerland, in the „heart“ of Ticino with marvellous position and… MoreCHF 160 - 275 Hotel International au Lac
 The lake just in front of the hotel´s door, the old town just around the corner and with numerous shops just a stone´s throw away, the Hot… MoreCHF 60 - 290 Delfino
 The Hotel Delfino has a privileged location close to the lake shore and next to the pedestrian area which leads into the heart of the city of Lugano.
… MoreCHF 174 - 534 Grand Hotel Eden
 The Grand Hotel Eden is located on the waterfront of Lugano Paradiso, one of the sunniest spots in Ticino.
Spacious bedrooms, excellent service, the… MoreCHF 300 - 850 Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola au Lac
 Right on the shores of Lake Lugano and within walking distance of the Old Town of Lugano, the 5-star Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola au Lac is set within… MoreCHF 140 - 250 Continental Parkhotel
 The family-run Continental Parkhotel is located 200 metres south of the main railway station of Lugano, where the funicular leaves regularly for the c… MoreCHF 120 - 300 Colorado Hotel
 The Hotel Colorado offers a central, yet quiet and sunny location in Lugano.
Individual and first-class service is a high priority for the Bernasconi… MoreCHF 160 - 510 Best Western Hotel Bellevue au Lac
 This hotel is situated on the lakeside promenade of Lugano, offering panoramic views. It features an outdoor pool and all rooms have a balcony and fre… MoreCHF 93 - 168 Calipso Park
 The Hotel Calipso Park is located right at the Monte San Salvatore cable car station in Lugano-Paradiso, just a 2-minute walk from the lakeside promen… MoreCHF 110 - 140 Guesthouse Castagnola
 Only a few steps away from the shore of Lake Lugano, this historic, 16th-century villa is 2 km from the centre of Lugano. A free bicycle hire is avail… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lugano: Guide
Lugano is a lake-side city in Ticino, the Italian-speaking part of southern Switzerland. Part of a temperate micro-climate, Lugano offers palm-trees, picturesque boulevards, stunning views of the lake and Alps, and plenty of opportunity of outdoor and indoor activities. Lugano also makes a good base for visiting other cities and sites in the area. The city is dull and lifeless, but a nice place to relax in summertimes.
Get in
By plane
Lugano has a small international airport with flights arriving from many European cities especially Italy, England, France and Germany. Milan's airports are 1 1/2 hours away by bus or train and are served by easyJet and Ryanair. , and offer discount web special prices to Lugano from many parts of Europe.
By train
Trains leave for Zurich (3hr) and Milan (40min-1hour) as well as Geneva (via Zurich or Locarno-Domodossola: 5h30' with 1 or 2 train-change, 6h30' via Milan with 1 train-change). Note that getting to Geneva or points west it is faster to go via Zurich or Locarno as the trains are more frequent and faster.
By car
By bus
There is a shuttle service between Lugano and Milan - Malpensa Airport. See this link: http://www.starbus.info/pagina_orari.php
By boat
Note that a small part of the lake is actually in Italy so bring your passport if you plan on exploring by ferry.
Get around
Lugano is small enough to get around on foot, and many of the streets are pedestrian-only, but the hills above the lakefront are very steep so the bus might be a better option on the way up to the train station if you have a lot of bags. Taxis can be found on the main roads. Ferries and Funiculars are great options for seeing the views.
For more information:
Swiss Miniature Village, Via Cantonale, Melide-Lugano. Tickets: Adults CHF12, Children to 15y CHF7.
Parco Civico
Swimming
Mountain biking
Casinò Lugano , via Stauffacher 1, Tel. +41-91-9737111, Fax +41-91-9737149, email: info@casinolugano.ch. Open every day from 12AM-4AM (Fridays and Saturdays closing time at 5AM). Tables open at 2PM.
The cafeteria in the Manor Department store offers a wide variety of tempting International dishes, ranging from sushi to pasta. Fresh fruits and vegetables arrayed in stylish displays are almost a painting themselves. Wine and beer are available as are a wide range of other beverages. This was one very pleasant discovery on a recent trip.
Argentino, Piazza Riforma, Tel. +41-91-9229049. Excellent pizza, great service. They offer 2 sizes of pizza, price ranges around CHF15-20.
Youth Hostel Lugano, Via Cantonale 13, (91) 966 27 28 (lugano@youthhostel.ch).
Hotel Pestalozzi, Piazza Indipendenza 9, +41 (91) 921 46 46. (fax: +41 91 922 20 45. A very clean and livable family-run hotel with some en-suite rooms and some not. English (and German) are spoken. Single rooms start at 62 Chf. without shower or toilet. http://www.attuale.com/pestalozzi.html
Backpackers Montarina, Via Montarina 1, Lugano, +41 (0) 91 966 72 72. (fax: +41 (0) 91 966 00 17). http://www.montarina.ch/
Grand Hotel Eden, Riva Paradiso, 1, Tel. +41-91-9859200, Fax +41-91-9859250.
Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola, Viale Castagnola 31, Tel. +41-91-9732555, Fax +41-91-9732550, email: info@villacastagnola.com
Principe Leopoldo & Residence, Via Montalbano 5, Tel. +41-91-9858855, Fax +41-91-9858825, email: info@leopoldohotel.com. Rates: CHF450-1,950.
Police (Polizia) – Emergency only: 117
Lost Property Office (Ufficio oggetti smarriti), City of Lugano Police, Via Beltramina 20b.
Tourism Center / Lugano Turismo , Direzione, Piazza Indipendenza 4, Tel. +41-91-9110404, Fax +41-91-9211460, email: info@lugano-tourism.ch.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikitravel article "Lugano". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license.
Funicolare Lugano Citta - Stazione, telephone +41 91 800 72 28/29. This funicular links the old center of the town on the lake shore to the railway station higher up the hill.
Funicolare Lugano Paradiso - Monte San Salvatore, telephone +41 91 985 28 28. A funicular which runs from Lugano to the top of the Monte San Salvatore, with spectacular views of the Lake of Lugano, the isthmus of Melide, the Monte Generoso and the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia on the other side of the lake. http://www.montesansalvatore.ch/
See
Do
Boating
Hiking
:Bike rentals:
:: SFR Railway Station Lugano, Tel. +41-512-215642
:: Balmelli Sport, Via Pioda 12, Tel. +41-91-9235867 Learn
Buy
All the major labels and designer boutiques can be found here, as well as the usual Swiss and Italian knick-knacks.Eat
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
In the summer your best bet is just to wander along the lakeside promenade and open air bar/cafes. Check local listings for clubs and shows as venues come and go with the seasons.Sleep
There are a wide range of hotel options right in town, from atmospheric B&Bs to posh four stars to comfy and communal hostels. Be sure to book ahead in the summer, but the rest of the year it's possible to just show up and find something as long as your budget is flexible.Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Contact
There are a few internet cafes in town, try near the train station.Stay safe
Lugano is as safe as most cities in Switzerland, but the density of expensive purses, watches, and sunglasses may make pickpockets more of a problem. The usual cautions apply to walking alone late a night, especially after bars and clubs close before dawn.Important Numbers
Fire Department (Pompieri): 118
City of Lugano Police: +41 (0)58 866 82 50 (piazza Riforma), +41-58-8668111 (Via Beltramina 20B)
Civic Hospital (Ospedale Civico): +41-91-8116111 (via Tesserete 46 )
Emergency Ward (Pronto Soccorso), Civic Hospital: +41-91-8116006
Ambulances (Ambulanze): 144
Doctor and dentist on call: 1811
Emergency Service - Street aid: 140
Mon-fri: 7:30AM - 12AM, 1:30PM-5PM
Phone: +41-58-8668250Cope
Get out
Trains leave hourly for Milan and Zurich where you can transfer to any destination in Europe.