Ticino Travel Guide 2025: Lugano, Locarno & Verzasca Valley

Ticino Travel Guide 2025: Lugano, Locarno & Verzasca Valley

what if I told you this isn’t Italy but it’s not the Switzerland you know either this is Ticino and it’s Switzerland’s best kept secret everything you think you know about Switzerland is wrong because this is the side they don’t show you in the brochures known as the Mediterranean of Switzerland Locarno is an enchanting lake district bordering Italy where colorful buildings line waterfront promenades housing palm trees outdoor cafes and warm breezes are you ready to explore the Italian Riviera of Switzerland let’s all go to Ticino Ascona is a beautiful town on Lake Maggiore it’s I would say it’s Switzerland’s answer maybe to Lake Como you know you just want to walk around the Old Town have a drink on the promenade or just stroll the really pretty pastel buildings Ascona was our favorite town to visit in Ticino it is truly beautiful with cafes lining the waterfront the pedestrian village doesn’t allow cars and you could walk the streets perusing the galleries and boutiques without having to worry about any vehicles make sure to stroll along the tree lined waterfront at Piazza Giuseppe Mota and pull a seat up at one of the many cafes you can even take a boat ride on Lake Maggiore to cross into Italy a good way to explore Ascona here is just jump on the little trolley behind me and it takes you all around gives you a little tour of the city well I think we must be doing the Grand Tour of Switzerland because I see these signs everywhere we go this one’s in Ascona at Osaka’s waterfront is also one of the swings of the world there are 12 of them around Tochino I don’t know if anyone else has ever said this before but I really feel that Lagano reminds me of Rio de Janeiro it has this waterfront path with these grand buildings and then you have these high mountains on either side of it framing it it’s just a beautiful place to go for a stroll on the promenade to have a coffee or aperitivo and relax for the afternoon nestled between Lake Como in Italy and Lake Maggiore in Switzerland Lake Lugano has top billing as one of the best things to do in Ticino it will in fact remind you of Rio de Janeiro with Mont San Salvadore and Mount Bre framing the city just like the South American country strolling along the waterfront is a must and make sure to keep an eye out for all of the art installations that line the 2 kilometer route from Paradiso to Parco Siani there’s also a beach and Marina with beautiful scenery where you can dip your toes in Lake Lagano one of the most popular ways to enjoy Lake Laguna is to get out on a paddle boat they have a lot of unique ones here with slides there’s party boats there’s cars it’s a good way to explore get on the water and see the city from a different view well if you are ultra rich this is the place to go shopping Dave and I are window shopping and we saw a pretty nice watch for what $71,000 yeah not too bad well there’s a a really ugly sweater for 18 CHF that’s not bad so uh hey if you got some money just to burn go for it we have arrived in the beautiful Canton of Ticino which is the Italian part of Switzerland it has a completely different feel from the mountains I do actually feel like I’m in Italy uh there’s cappuccinos there’s cheese there’s pasta and there’s beautiful lakes and scenery the first stop on our tochino tour was the Versasca Valley it’s famous for its glowing emerald waters flowing fast through the smooth boulders of the valley and its historic bridges a top draw is swimming and jumping off the Ponta Desalti stone arched bridge this town is so picturesque and it’s great to go for a hike or spend a day just basking in the sun entertaining just watching them jump off there not for me thanks crazy not for me thanks no thanks hahaha the crystal clear waters attract scuba divers and locals and tourists alike to relax on the smooth rocks and take a dip in the clear waters but be warned the water is cold and it moves very fast in some places it’s pretty cool to just be hiking these ancient footpaths that have been used for centuries and the scenery around here is just beautiful so if you wanna go for a little walk while you’re here it’s just 15 minutes up to the next town and you go through the old farming fields and trails that have been used in this area for decades feels like nothing has changed so cool hiking these ancient trails Lavertezzo is a picturesque town that is a really great visit to go for a swim or watch the cliff jumpers or just sit by the water and have a coffee one of the top places to visit in toccino is the Verzasca Dam it’s famous for the James Bond film Golden Eye where he bungee jumped off of the dam so you can come here and recreate it cause they actually do bungee jumping so to visit the dam all you have to do is pay for parking and then you can just walk out for free and uh check it out and see this super high dam in the valley which is extraordinary it is crazy high so uh parking cost 2 Swiss francs and uh it’s a pretty cheap attraction to check out The Verzasca Dam is 220 meters high and you can book bungee jumps from the top it’s located on route to the Verzasca Valley so you can stop on your way there or on your way back but parking is limited so if you see a spot when you’re going by take it well this is the highest bungee jump in Europe at 220 meters so if you want a thrill come on down here to this verasca dam here in Switzerland and to Chino to do it you have to reserve online there’s certain hours so you can’t just walk up and do it I will put the link in the description below on your way up to the dam there’s a great pull off where you can really see the scope of it on the side of the road so just look for it when you come out of the tunnel to your right come to the castles of Bellinzona Bellinzona is the capital of the Tessino region of Switzerland and is not to be missed for its three castles that are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site Castelgrande Montabello and Sasso Corbaro plus the castle walls of Bellinzona have all been restored and are open to tourists you can hike to each one of them with Castelgrande being located right downtown in Bellinzona located on Lake Maggiore Locarno is another lovely town in Ticino with pastel buildings lining its waterfront get lost in its cobblestone streets or sip espresso in Piazza Grande Switzerland’s largest square The Grand Piazza is one of the biggest piazzas in Switzerland and it’s known for its many festivals and one that’s going on now or about to go on is the Locarno Film Festival while in Locarno you can hike up to the Madonna del Sasso or take the funicular up to this 14th century church that is a popular pilgrimage site well on our way to tschiino we have just crossed the highest mountain pass in Switzerland with a paved road and it’s a fun drive there’s a ton of switchbacks there’s sports cars and motorcycles just whizzing by us it’s a too much fun we’ve arrived into Chino at the resort to Colino Doro this is a wellness retreat and I already just feel at peace in my lovely luxury suite this is swanky man got my sitting room here with a little television that I doubt will be watching some fantastic postcards of Tokyo with our welcome fruit now come on down and see our lovely elegant room all right one more thing to see and we have a fantastic bathroom which is huge for European standards at least for Dave and I are European standards so this is it this is our room the resort is a beautiful retreat located on 25 hectares of vineyards parklands with a scenic pool overlooking Lake Lugano after spending some time in the Swiss Alps this is a little slice of heaven and a great place to unwind and soothe your aching muscles in the spa and sauna dinner at Kalina Doro ah isn’t this beautiful take a sip we have come up the world’s steepest funicular here in Tschinau and it has gorgeous views of the valley there’s some great hikes you can do so if you do come up here I’ll bring all your hiking gear and you can hike out for about two and a/2 hours to a little hut where you can have some lunch and then hike on back the Ritom funicular was built in 1921 and the 15 minute journey will take you up seventeen hundred and eighty seven meters where you can hike to the Ritom Dam and Lake Cadagno it offers beautiful views of the Piura Valley make sure to take some water with you and if you don’t have snacks you can hike right out to campiña Cadagno for some lunch well we made it to the lake this is the highest and biggest lake in the taczino region I’m sure it’s a beautiful view from over there but unfortunately we have to catch the next gondola so we’re not gonna make it uh but if you do come out here make sure you give yourself a full day to hike this to get out to have lunch at the Cadano and these are the best things to do in Ticino Switzerland if you enjoyed our video make sure to subscribe and click on that bell so you get notified each week because we do put up new travel videos from 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Ticino, Switzerland—the Italian side of Switzerland. We explore Lugano, Locarno, Ascona and the Verzasca Valley (Ponte dei Salti), with tips on how to plan a Ticino trip in 2025.”
You think you know what Switzerland looks like? Think again. This isn’t Italy, but it’s a side of Switzerland that feels like a Mediterranean secret, and it might just be the country’s most beautiful region.

Welcome to Ticino, the Italian-speaking soul of Switzerland! In this travel guide, we’re showing you our complete itinerary through Lugano, the castles of Bellinzona, the charming towns of Ascona and Locarno, and the unbelievably beautiful Valle Verzasca. We’ll show you how to take advantage of the Ticino Ticket, a free travel pass that unlocks the region with free public transport and huge discounts on mountain railways, funiculars, and boat trips.

➡️ Learn more about the FREE Ticino Ticket: https://www.ticino.ch/en/ticket.html
Watch more Travel Videos:
Don’t Visit Zurich without Watching This! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-GYizSlcPc&t=17s
Watch more travel videos from our Playlists
France Travel Playlist – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvVRwUCGUgoHy0U3LxI9gfR4apopEqtYy
Portugal Travel Playlist – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvVRwUCGUgoHqfJjl_ikc5VK5uVk6yX3P

⏰ Things to do in Ticino ⏰
00:00:00 – The Switzerland You’ve Never Seen
00:43 – Ascona: The Swiss Lake Como
02:03 – Lugano: The Rio de Janeiro of Switzerland?
04:19 – Valle Verzasca: The Maldives of Switzerland
06:05 – Verzasca Dam: The James Bond Bungee Jump
07:38 – Bellinzona & The Three UNESCO Castles
08:16 – Locarno: Switzerland’s Largest Piazza
09:09 – A Wellness Retreat in the Hills
10:21 – The World’s Steepest Funicular (Ritom)
11:28 – Final Thoughts on Ticino

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Come with us as we explore Ticino Switzerland, the Swiss region bordering Italy, and tour the lovely city of Lugano! This travel video highlights the stunning Lake Lugano, the beautiful Swiss Alps, and other must-see attractions. Get ready to experience the Swiss side you’ve never seen before!