From Wikitravel

Lugano [1] 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.

Contents 1 Get in 1.1 By plane 1.2 By train 1.3 By car 1.4 By bus 1.5 By boat 2 Get around 3 See 4 Do 5 Learn 6 Buy 7 Eat 7.1 Budget 7.2 Mid-range 7.3 Splurge 8 Drink 9 Sleep 9.1 Budget 9.2 Mid-range 9.3 Splurge 10 Contact 11 Stay safe 11.1 Important Numbers 12 Cope 13 Get out

Get in

By plane

Lugano has a small international airport [2] 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. Swiss International Airline, Flybaboo and Darwin Airline 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:

• 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

• Swiss Miniature Village, Via Cantonale, Melide-Lugano. Tickets: Adults CHF12, Children to 15y CHF7.

• Parco Civico

Do

• Swimming
• Boating
• Hiking

• Mountain biking

Bike rentals:

• SFR Railway Station Lugano, Tel. +41-512-215642
• Balmelli Sport, Via Pioda 12, Tel. +41-91-9235867

• Casinò Lugano [3], 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.

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

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.

Mid-range

• Argentino, Piazza Riforma, Tel. +41-91-9229049. Excellent pizza, great service. They offer 2 sizes of pizza, price ranges around CHF15-20.

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

• 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/

Mid-range

Splurge

• 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.

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

• Police (Polizia) – Emergency only: 117
• 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

Lost Property Office (Ufficio oggetti smarriti), City of Lugano Police, Via Beltramina 20b. Mon-fri: 7:30AM - 12AM, 1:30PM-5PM Phone: +41-58-8668250

Cope

• Tourism Center / Lugano Turismo [4], Direzione, Piazza Indipendenza 4, Tel. +41-91-9110404, Fax +41-91-9211460, email: info@lugano-tourism.ch.

Get out

Trains leave hourly for Milan and Zurich where you can transfer to any destination in Europe.

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