Ticino is the ideal choice for a spring weekend getaway in Switzerland because of the warmer weather and summer feels. At the end of April, our family spent a weekend exploring a few regions in Ticino: cruising Lake Lugano, hiking and eating well in Mendrisiotto, and biking and climbing trees in Ascona-Locarno. And of course, eating lots of pizza and gelato, a must when you are so close to Italy.
Below is our full itinerary for the weekend with all the details you need to follow in our footsteps, plus suggestions for add-ons if you have more time.
Note: This trip was a press trip with four other Swiss family bloggers, sponsored by Ticino Tourism. Thanks also to SBB Railway for the transportation. All opinions stated here are my own.
Contents
- Getting to Ticino – fast with the new Ceneri tunnel, cheap with the Ticino Ticket
- Ticino Ticket – free public transport & lots of discounts
- Cruising on Lake Lugano
- Riding up Brusino – Serpiano cable car
- Lunch at Ristorante Funivia Serpiano
- Hike from Serpiano to Meride
- Ropes Climbing Course – Parco Avventura
- Where we stayed
Getting to Ticino – fast with the new Ceneri tunnel, cheap with the Ticino Ticket
Ticino is in southern Switzerland, the warmest part of this country, particularly in spring. On this trip, we stayed at a bungalow at Camping Campofelice (see details below) near Locarno and also spent time in the Lake Lugano and Mendrisiotto regions, all well connected by public transportation.
From Zürich, we prefer to travel by train because it’s fast and skips the Gotthard tunnel car traffic. Train travel is even faster thanks to the new Ceneri Base Tunnel, now only 1hr53 from Zürich main station to Lugano.
The tunnel also makes it faster to get around the Ticino region, making it easier to explore more areas in a short amount of time. For example, it’s now only 30 mins by train from Locarno to Lugano instead of 50 minutes. And from Bellinzona to Lugano, only 15 mins instead of 30.
Thanks to Rapelli for our yummy dinner on the go.
Ticino Ticket – free public transport & lots of discounts
If you stay overnight in a hotel, hostel or campsite, you get a free Ticino Ticket, which includes free public transportation around the entire Ticino region and discounts to various attractions including mountain railways and boat trips. It’s so easy to get around the region by public transportation, that you really don’t need a car.
Cruising on Lake Lugano
We started our day with a cruise on Lake Lugano, an easy and fun way to enjoy the views. From our campground, it was only a 30min train ride to Lugano, so fast with the new Ceneri tunnel. Then a nice stroll through the Lugano old town the water.
We boarded the boat at Lugano-Centrale (lago) across the street from the old town district.
View from the Lugano boat dock. That’s Monte San Salvatore across the way, where you can take a funicular to the top. We’ll have to do that next time.
So many beautiful views along the way, a great way to explore the region that is defined by the unique shape of this lake.
The boat doesn’t have classes, so you can freely roam and sit on the upper deck.
If you get chilly or weather turns, there is a nice indoor space with big windows so you can still enjoy the view.
We cruised on the water for about 1hr20, stopping at a few villages along the way.
We got off the boat at Brusino Arsizio Funivia (lago) and caught a cable car up the mountain for lunch and a hike (details in next section).
Where to buy boat tickets: You can buy tickets at the boat dock, with the SBB mobile app or on SBB.ch.
Boat prices: For the trip we did, one way from Lugano-Centrale (lago) to Brusino Arsizio Funivia (lago), it costs CHF 20/adult. Free for those with a GA card, 50% discount for a SBB Half-fare card and kids aged 6-16, free for under 6.
A day pass on the boat costs CHF 49/adult. The Ticino ticket gives a 20% discount on the day pass (not for singles trips). Same discounts as above also apply to the day pass.
See current schedule and prices here: www.lakelugano.ch
Riding up Brusino – Serpiano cable car
From the boat dock Brusino Arsizio, it was a just a few steps to the Brusino-Serpiano cable car, which took us up to a restaurant with a view for lunch.
This cable car is also easily accessible by bus (stop: Brusino Arsizio, Funivia, 18 mins from Capolago-Riva S. Vitale train station) or by car (Via a la Camana 1, 6827 Brusino Arsizio, parking next to the cable car).
It’s a small cable car, fitting 10 people. The ride takes about 5 mins to Serpiano. From the cable car, you get a nice view of the lake as shown here, looking across the famous Morcote.
Cable car opening times: The cable car is open Wed to Sunday from April through October. It may close in bad weather, so check the website for current operating times. It generally runs every 30 mins, but will run on demand if there are enough people.
Cable car prices 2021: One way: CHF 8/adult, CHF 4/children (4-14 years old). Round trip CHF 14/adult, CHF 7/child. Slight discount with SBB Half-fare card and Ticino Ticket. No discount for GA or Junior cards.
If you prefer, you can hike up, which is 3 km, gaining 350m elevation, about 1.5hr.
More info: www.serpiano.ch
Lunch at Ristorante Funivia Serpiano
The cable car dropped us directly at Ristorante Funivia Serpiano, where we had lunch before starting our hike. They have a lovely terrace overlooking Lake Lugano and many mountains in the region. Unfortunately, it was raining when we were there, so we only got a glimpse of this fantastic view as the clouds moved in and out. But the next day was perfectly sunny and when I saw pics on their Instagram, I wanted to go back immediately.
photo from Ristorante Funivia Serpiano website
The delicious food is another good reason to visit. When I complimented the fantastic focaccia we had as a starter, our server said it was made with heart and I couldn’t agree more. I felt that all the food was made with heart, with that extra bit of effort that shows they care. We had Cacio e Pepe with handmade pasta, lasagna, pizza and tiramisu, all delicious. We will definitely go back the next time we are in the area.
For sunny weekends, it’s best to reserve a table.
www.latanadelsauro.ch
+41 91 996 13 51
Hike from Serpiano to Meride
After lunch, we did a beautiful forest hike from the restaurant around the mountain to the small village Meride. It’s 4 km easy walking on a dirt path (not suitable for strollers), ending on a quiet country road through farm fields. This would be a great choice for a hot sunny day, since you get the shade. It was also nice for a rainy cloudy day, since our enjoyment didn’t depend on the big views.
From Meride, you can catch a bus down to the Mendrisio train station and continue by train to your starting point. On weekends and holidays, the bus leaves from Meride hourly on the xx:36, on weekdays on the xx:06. But confirm the schedule before heading out. From Mendrisio train station to Lugano, only 15-20 mins, to Locarno only 36 mins.
A few pics from the hike. We had a small break in the rain but ready for anything.
Misty forest, good for both hot and cloudy days.
A picnic area in the woods about halfway there.
Wildflowers out in force in April.
Lots of pretty details.
Passing farms as we get closer to the village.
Just before you get to the village, there is a detour off the road to a waterfall lookout (see on map). We had to hurry for the bus, so we skipped it. But the pics we saw online look very nice, so stop if you can.
Longer option: if you want more of a challenge, you could hike up Monte San Giorgio, the peak above San Serpiano, where you can get panorama views of the region. Then hike along the ridge down to Meride to catch the bus. Or you could also make this a loop, following the forest trail in my first map above back to Serpiano. This is the trail I would do next time we visit this area.
Ropes Climbing Course – Parco Avventura
The next day, we spent a fun morning climbing through the trees at Parco Avventura, a ropes climbing course in Tenero near the campground. A ropes course is always a treat for our boys, a nice break from hiking. But it’s also something that’s fun for the whole family and a challenge where we can support and encourage each other. So glad this fun place was part of our itinerary.
At Parco Avventura, it’s one long course with a wide variety of obstacles that took us about 90 mins to complete. It increases in difficulty as you go, with very interesting and clever challenges along the way. If you are faster or slower than another group, it’s relatively easy to pass one another. Just ask nicely.
Near the end, the course splits, with an optional black “plus” detour. We chose to stay on the red course, which was more at our comfort level and had more zip lines that our boys liked.
Parco Avventura has a separate climbing course for smaller kids, where the safety rope is always connected, which makes it safer and less complicated. Kids from about 6 years old can do this course. A parent must supervise from the ground.
Before doing the adult course, you watch a safety video (available in English) that clearly explains how to safely navigate the course and all the rules. The instructors monitor the course, if necessary coaching you through obstacles and reminding you of the rules. On this course, it is possible (but obviously not allowed) to unclip both safety lines at the same time (you might be used to course where you can only unclip one at a time). So it is very important to monitor your children and help them stay safe. In the excitement, some kids may forget and unclip both. A kid passing us on a platform did this and I had to scold him (sorry, not sorry).
Parco Avventura is quite close to the campground, only a 20 min walk and half that by bike. There is a small playground and nice picnic area with a view next to the ropes course. The day we were there, a food truck was outside the ropes course selling polenta with stew, homemade cakes and ice cream.
Equipment: Your free includes the safety harness and equipment. You can optionally purchase single use gloves for CHF 2. I definitely recommend these as it’s easy to get a rope burn on your hands.
Prices 2021: Note that you can only pay with cash, no card.
- Children 6+ for yellow course – CHF 12
- Children age 6+ for orange and black Junior courses – CHF 20
- Youth (140cm +) and adults aged 16+ – CHF 30. You must be over 16 and at least 150cm tall to do the black plus course.
Open: 10:00 – 17:00 weekends and holidays
Address: Via Tratto di Fondo 2a, 6596 Gordola
Website: www.parcoavventura.ch
Where we stayed
We stayed in a bungalow at Camping Campofelice near Locarno, a huge campground with great views and lots of amenities to make for a fun family holiday. We love the outdoor living feel and camping community, but staying in a bungalow is much more convenient and comfortable than a tent.
www.campofelice.ch
Via alle Brere 7, 6598 Tenero-Contra (see on map)
We had a 2 bedroom bungalow (Comfort Camelia 4) with a small kitchen, living room area with a sofa, our own bathroom with a shower, and covered terrace with a table and chairs so we could eat outside. The rental includes bed linens but not towels for the kitchen or bathroom. The bungalows have a heating & air conditioning unit, which also added to our comfort.
This is a huge campground with lots of facilities. They have a long stretch of sandy beach on the lake and river for shallow safe swimming for the kids, bouncy floats and diving platforms.
They have a pool, wellness, fitness center, bike park, tennis courts, sports center with bikes and water craft to rent. The Ascona-Locarno valley is great for family bike rides because it’s mostly flat and has lots of dedicated bike lanes and bike paths away from busy traffic. We recommend bike route 311, which is quite close to the campground.
They have big playgrounds and host kids activities every day, like crafting, art, music, dance, and sports. Many are free, while some like kayaking or science lab have a small fee like CHF 10-20. In the evenings, they have movie nights and dance parties for the kids.
They have a small cafe on site, open all day starting with breakfast, then selling pizzas, sandwiches and gelato.
They have a proper pizzeria restaurant with a wood-fired oven and more extensive menu. Both offer take-away if you prefer to eat back at your bungalow.
The campground has a small grocery, with about everything you’ll need, including fresh bread every morning starting at 7:30.
Next to the campground, there is a lovely forested nature reserve, a nice place for walking particularly at sunrise and sunset. Since this is a protected area, you have to stick to the paths and cannot picnic or lounge.
This is a great place for bird lovers, with an observation deck near the river and little windows to peek through to see the birds without scaring them off.
A good time was had by all!
Need more ideas? See what the other bloggers on this trip did:
- Die Angelones – Monte Bre & bike riding
- Mama Rocks – Bellinzona & hike to Curzútt
- Freistyle – Fox trail in Lugano
- Foodwerk – Exploring Locarno
