Courtesy of www.wikiwand.com/en/Lugano

Recently, Swiss Tourism invited a group of international journalists and travel writers, including Veeramalla Anjaiah from The Jakarta Post, to visit Switzerland to see the UNESCO World Heritage RhB, a unique railway system in the Alps. They also visited the beautiful city of Lugano. This is the first of several articles about Switzerland.

After traveling more than 10,000 kilometers on a comfortable Swiss Airlines flight from Singapore to Zurich, the financial hub of Switzerland, I did not feel jet lagged at all, thanks to the excellent onboard service.

My first destination was Lugano, a small town of elegant beauty, which is situated in the southern Alps in Ticino canton. After smoothly clearing immigration at Zurich International Airport, I took a train run by the Swiss Federal Railway Network FFS to Lugano, which is 2.5 hours from Zurich.

The unique thing about Switzerland is that everything runs on time, be it a meeting, bus, boat, plane or train. For example, I boarded the train at 7:47 a.m. at Zurich Flughafen and reached Lugano exactly at 10:17 a.m. as printed on the ticket.

After arriving in Lugano, I had doubts about whether I was in Switzerland or Italy. Everything is in Italian and everybody speaks the language here. No doubt, Lugano is in Switzerland but it is in the predominantly Italian-speaking region of Ticino canton.  

Lugano, the ninth largest city in Switzerland with just 65,000 people, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. It is home to a number of historic buildings and museums, while the surrounding area has many natural sights.

The star attraction is Lake Lugano.

“Lugano’s main attraction is its lake, which is so beautiful. Tourists mainly come to Lugano to see the beauty of Lake Lugano and its surroundings,” Patricia Carminati, a tour guide in Lugano, told The Jakarta Post.    

The lake’s beauty lies in its stunning panoramic views and it is a paradise for taking photos and selfies. It is surrounded by mountains, including Monte Generoso — which is the highest at 1,700 meters —Monte San Salvatore and Monte Bre. 

People can fish or take a boat ride on the lake to enjoy the day as Lugano has a mild Mediterranean climate.

The city’s cobbled streets, narrow lanes, cafes and bars reminded us of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. All of the city’s attractions like City Hall, Park Belvedere, Cultural Center and market are within walking distance.

Lugano is also known as a financial hub.

“Imagine, with a population of 65,000 people, Lugano has more than 45 banks because it is an international finance center,” Carminati said. 

The variety and quality of the accommodation in its 50 hotels make it one of the best tourist destinations in Switzerland. We stayed at Hotel International Au Lac, which is more than 100 years old. All of its 80 rooms are furnished with porcelain jugs and vintage items. It has a restaurant, a library with a reading lounge and a garden with two terraces.   

“The hotel is very old but it has a beautiful view of the lake,” Swiss Tourism’s project manager for market services, Gisele Sarbach, told the Post. 

Not only Lugano, but the entire Ticino region is well-known for its mouth-watering food and superb wines. 

Fresh vegetables, salami, cold meats, wine, cheese and many other specialties are ready to delight one’s palate. 

The city has an amazing nightlife with a casino and numerous bars and cafes.

A visit to the Swiss Customs Museum in Gandria is a must to learn about the history and culture of Lugano, which used to be a hub for smugglers, especially Lake Lugano, in the past. 

- Photos JP/Veeramalla Anjaiah

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How to reach Lugano?

Swiss Air flies from Singapore to Zurich every day.

Take a train from Zurich Airport (Zurich Flughafen Station to Zurich HB) and then another one to Lugano from Zurich HB Station.

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