A collaboration with Ticino Turismo
Lugano is already our go-to destination in Ticino. Thanks to a family holiday apartment, we’ve been regularly visiting this region of Switzerland since before we were parents. Yup, that long!
Lugano was the setting for our family’s first holiday, numerous girls’ weekends and where we take overseas guests. It is where we go for a quick weekend escape when we all need a breather. and more recently, where we re-energised when travelling abroad was not on the cards.
But this trip we tried something different. We’ve swapped our dependable holiday apartment for a 4-star hotel. The tried and tested family favourites for new-to-us restaurants. We’ve even ditched our car!
Instead, thanks to the perks of staying in a hotel in Ticino, we are armed with the Ticino Ticket, ready to explore Lugano, the nearby Monte Tamaro and the ancient ruins above Tremona all for free on public transport.
Where to stay in Lugano?
Being a family of five, finding a hotel that can accommodate us all is not an easy task. But at Villa Sassa, our home for the weekend, it is no problem. Perched above the city of Lugano and just a short bus trip away from the train station, Villa Sassa has not only hotel-style rooms but also three-bedroom suites, perfect for big groups. The best of both worlds!
From spa facilities to hotel breakfast, room service and friendly, you’ve got everything you would want from a luxury hotel. The hotel boasts two terraces, one for dining, the other to relax and cool down, but both with expansive views of Lugano, including its two mountains, San Salvatore and Monte Bré. The perfect place to kick back and wait for the city to turn shades of orange as the sun sets.
But large families need space, and our room, a 3-bedroom suite, provided exactly that. Not only did it have three huge bedrooms, but it also came with a lounge and dining room, a full-sized fridge and air conditioning, especially welcoming on a rather summer-like May weekend. Plus, did I mention the views? Wow! We all could have easily sat on our balcony with a good book and glass of Prosecco, taking in those same views as the pool and restaurant all weekend long.
But no time for that! With the provided Ticino Ticket in our pockets, it was time to explore.
What to do in Lugano?
Our first activity began with a bus and train ride (using our Ticino Ticket, of course) to Monte Tamaro, Lugano’s adventure mountain. Just a short walk from Rivera-Bironico Train Station, Monte Tamaro and its neighbour Splash and Spa Waterpark should be on every to-do list when visiting the Lugano region. There is an activity for pretty much everyone, from families to adrenaline junkies, hikers to mountain bikers.
Our first port of call was Monte Tamaro’s middle station, for the kids to try their hands at the high ropes course adventure park. A first for our Little Z, who now, at age 8 and 125 cm, is old, tall and brave enough to give the course a go.
After getting kitted out in a harness and Lugano orange helmet, she tackled the medium trail like a pro with me underneath, cheering her along! You could not whip the smile off her face after conquering some times tricky obstacles. The Teen did a great job on the full-sized course.
While you could spend a good 2-4 hours at the ropes course alone, we had other things to check out, so we rejoined the gondola to Alp Foppa. Up here, the 800m alpine coaster bob is the highlight and had all of us in screams of joy! Then, we left, zooming over the valley along the 60 km/hour zip line to The Teen, an instant mood booster.
After a picnic, Ticino style, of local cured salamis and hams from Ticino company Rapelli, together with some Ticinese Bread, we started our way back down – this time on foot. The path takes about 45 minutes, taking in the alpine panorama as you wander back to the middle station before taking the gondola.
Where to Enjoy a Lugano Sunset?
After a well-deserved cool-down back at the hotel in what I would argue is one of Lugano’s best pools with a view, it was time to head to dinner. And again, the Ticino Ticket made getting there as simple as standing outside Villa Sassa and waiting for the bus. Getting off at Lugano’s train station and taking the scenic way into the city via the funicular (included in your Ticino Ticket) landed us in the middle of the town of golden hues.
It is not just the sky that burns here. Lugano’s old town buildings are every colour of a sunset, from crisp yellow to the sunset’s last beams. A perfect setting for pre-dinner Aperol Spritz on Piazza della Riforma or a sneaky Gelato afterwards. But if it’s a sunset you want to see, down by the lake is where you should go.
After our dinner at the hip Antica Osteria del Porto, popular with a younger crowd set thanks to its open-air bar next door, it was time to dangle our feet from one of the perfectly carved out ledges in Lugano’s Ciani Park. The perfect place to watch the sunset before making our way back to the hotel.
A Day Trip from Lugano
After filling up on a generous breakfast buffet and checking out of Villa Sassa, we started on our final adventure. From bus to train to the yellow Swiss bus called a “Post Auto”, we wound our way up to Tremona. Ready to combine a hike with some history.
After a quick wander through the village’s narrow roads, not forgetting to grab our virtual reality headsets at the local tourist office, we ventured into shades of “Vale du Muggio Green” in search of a once-hidden medieval village. After a short walk up the hill, the forest cleared to reveal the Tremona-Castello Archaeological Park.
Long hidden under the forest floor, it is hard to imagine it took until the 1990s to discover such an intact ruin. But now, thanks to the hard work of archeologists and volunteers we can wander through them. The virtual reality headsets reveal more. Letting us easily imagine what life would have been like back in the 14th century.
A meal with a view in Lugano
Back in Lugano, there was time for one last meal before it was time to go home. Conveniently located across from the train station, Ana Capri’s sweeping views were the perfect location to reflect on our action-packed weekend. Over pizzas and bruschetta, watching the orange-tinted city below, Little Z declared the high ropes course was her favourite. And for The Teen, it was finally staying at a hotel again.
But for me, the trip opened my eyes to a city I thought I knew well.
I’m now an expert bus taker and have a new favourite restaurant. I am still dreaming of the nettle pasta from Villa Sassa. And once in a while, it is good to mix things up a little. You never know what you will discover.
