Italian Switzerland

View from Cardada, above Locarno

Bob has declared a new favorite Swiss canton: Ticino, the Italian part of Switzerland. We visited the area last week and really enjoyed the scenery, food and sun. We stayed in Locarno, which is situated on the northern part of Lake Maggiore. The Italian border is nearby, giving the small towns along the lake a distinct Italian feel. (Italian is also the dominant language.) This means plenty of pizza and gelato! However, there is still a sense of being in Switzerland with their efficient transportation and clean cities.

Traffic approaching Gotthard tunnel

In order to get to Ticino (also Tessin), we had to drive through the Alps via the Gotthard Tunnel. The tunnel is the third longest road tunnel in the world: 16.4 km or 10.2 miles long, and it took us about 15 minutes to drive through. This tunnel is the primary tunnel for all southern-direction traffic, so traffic comes all the way from the Netherlands to get to Italy and can be quite backed up. We sat in traffic for over an hour, but with beautiful scenery and snow too!

Once out of the tunnel, the weather seemed more mild with snow only on the tops of the mountains. One reason why we would return to this area is because of the many options it offers. It is easy to get to by train (we will probably travel with this option in the future). Milan is within an hour train ride, lakes are plenty (you've probably heard of popular Lake Como on the Italian side) and it's hard to get tired of the scenery of the mountains and valleys.

In order to really experience the valleys, we drove through the Centovalli region ("hundred valleys"). This region is popular with cyclists, although I can't imagine biking on the narrow winding roads and surviving. We also visited the botanical gardens of Brissago, which is a small island with lots to explore. Palm trees are plentiful in Locarno, but we saw plants from around the world here.

In addition to the pizza and gelato that I mentioned, we tried some of the local specialties like polenta with gorgonzola sauce. The risotto and local merlot is also very good. We enjoyed a really good Italian meal in the Swiss town of Ascona. It was such a colorful town to eat and explore by the lake.

On our return drive, we visited Bellinzona, an old town famous for its castles. There are three in the town that are all UNESCO world heritage sites. The castles were well worth a visit, and amazingly maintained.

The favorite part of the trip for the kids? Going to a local indoor/outdoor pool. I have to admit that it was a beautiful complex, on the lake and with a great beach and playground. The weather was warm enough to swim outside in the pool briefly, and then head to the indoor pool.

In the U.S., the coming weekend is the unofficial start to summer. We feel like summer has started here as well with warmer weather and upcoming travel plans. Wishing you a sunny weekend!