7 facts about Switzerland’s illegal immigrants

There has been a great deal of talk about illegal immigrants lately but what is the situation like in Switzerland? Did you know there were 76,000 illegal immigrants or sans-papiers living in this country in 2015?

1. Most arrive undeclared or on tourist visas
Across the country, 63% slipped over the border without declaring their presence or entered on a tourist visa. In French and Italian-speaking Switzerland this percentage rose to 78%.
A further 19% stayed on illegally after their asylum applications had been rejected, and another 18% stayed after their B or C permits expired.

2. The largest percentage comes from latin America
43% came from south and central America, mainly for economic reasons. Ecuadorians, Bolivians and Peruvians were well all represented.
The next largest group (24%) came from eastern european countries outside the European Union, then Africa (19%) and Asia (11%). North America and Australia (2%) made up the rest.

3. The vast majority are single
68% were single or lived in Switzerland while their families lived abroad. The percentage of singles rose to 80% in German-speaking Switzerland and fell to 51% in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland.

4. Most stay less than 10 years
Only 19% had lived in Switzerland for more than 10 years. Most had been in the country for between 5 and 10 years (35%), 1 and 5 years (25%) or less than 1 year (21%).

5. Most work in private homes
Across Switzerland, 53% worked for private households. This percentage rose to 71% in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland, falling to 47% in German-speaking Switzerland.
Construction (18%), hotels (16%) and agriculture (5%) employed most of the others.

6. There are more women than men
51% were women. This fits with the high number working in private homes caring for children or helping out with household chores. The percentage who were women rose to 62% in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland, regions which also showed the highest rates of undocumented private domestic workers. The report says the broken school day in Switzerland, where children come home for lunch, is a likely driver of demand for child care workers.

7. Many are well educated
While the largest group had only school education (41%) a surprising number had professional training (37%) or a tertiary qualification (22%). Those in French and Italian-speaking Switzerland appeared to be the best educated. 84% had education beyond school. In German-speaking Switzerland only 49% did.

For the entire document "Les sans-papiers en Suisse en 2015" by the Secrétariat d’Etat aux migrations (SEM) click here: https://www.sem.admin.ch

Merry Christmas

Natale a Lugano 2015

Are you ready for a change of scenery in down town Lugano? This month the city has changed its dress with the installation of Christmas lights, colours, sounds and music. The year's most exciting holiday is celebrated with the opening of the traditional markets, an artificial ski slope, a skating rink, and a kiddies' village. Concerts, entertainment, a great New Year's Eve open-party and many other events will lead up to January 6th, culminating in the the magic Epiphany in the city centre.

The Christmas Village at Parco Ciani
From Saturday, November 28th to Sunday, January 10th, Parco Ciani becomes a magical Christmas village dedicated to all children. An enchanted place in which to hang out and experience the unbelievable magic of the celebration most loved by all children.  You'll also be able to skate on the artificial ice rink and have tea with Santa Claus.

Lugano Snowland
The Swiss Snowsports School of Lugano is celebrating its 80th anniversary, and in collaboration with the City of Lugano, it is proud to bring snow in the middle of la pizza. Every child between 3 and 12 years old will have an exceptional opportunity to get a mini-lesson with a ski or snowboard instructor right in the heart of the city. The equipment is included in the price and available on site. Along with the snow-covered ramp, visitors will find a lively village offering a number of other activities and amusements for people of all ages.

The Christmas Market in the town centre's main streets
The traditional Christmas market offers gift ideas, art-products, crafts, decorations, as well as many traditional local gastronomic specialties. From November 28th to December 11th the Christmas market will be hosted in via Nassa and Piazza Riforma. From December 12th to December 24th the market will stretch over the entire city centre. Don't miss it!

Light of peace 2015
On the third Sunday of Advent (13.12.), the Light of Peace will come together in Lugano, Zurich, Basel and Freiburg. At 16:30, the Scouts bearing the symbolic torch leave Piazza della Riforma making their way through the city’s historical centre, to reach Piazza San Carlo at 17:00 where it will remain until December 24th. The ceremony will be accompanied by a children's choir.

Bazar dell'Avvento in Minusio

This weekend you might want to undertake a little trip to Minusio. It will be worth seeing your children's faces light up when they discover the beautiful theater, for the young AND old.

At this Advent bazaar you'll have the opportunity to create scented candles out of natural beeswax. A buffet awaits you in the restaurant with yummy specialities, while at the bright cafeteria, you'll find an endless variety of cakes and biscuits to be enjoyed with good music performed by the various groups that will add to the festive cheer.

You will find interesting ideas and thoughts for Christmas gifts, such as home-made creations made with warm and colourful materials and by skilled hands. Some stalls offer books, stationery products and natural beauty creams. Not to be missed is the flea market with clothing, toys and miscellaneous items which are fit for a second life.

Venue: Bazar dell'Avvento
Where: Scuola Rudolf Steiner, Via dei Paoli 36, 6648 Minusio
Date: Saturday, Dec 5th & Sunday, Dec 6th, 2015
Time: 10:00 - 21:00
Click here for the programme: Bazar dell'Avvento

The Kindness Advent calendar

Even if my kids' favourite Advent calendars are the chocolate ones from Coop supermarket, this doesn't mean I can't add another one this December. She Lives Free has posted a lovely Acts of Kindness countdown to Christmas printable calendar.

Ideally, you'll be holding the door open to a stranger or giving out free hugs more than once a month but maybe doing these acts of kindness consciously might spark the impulse to do more.

And don't forget, you can always modify the acts that don't feel right and replace them with your own. So, go ahead and start making some space on your kitchen fridge to hang up this very sweet Advent calendar.

Happy Advent!

Happy Thanksgiving

Peace for Paris but what do I tell my kids?

The evening started with a lovely dinner at a friend's house. We were enjoying our wine and were happy to reunite as old friends do on a Friday night in Paris. While we are licking our fingers over a Strawberry Pavlova one of our teenage boys comes into the dining room looking very worried. He had received a twitter... a twitter and a second later... and the world had taken a drastic change for the worse.

We turned on the TV to discover that confusion reigns. One, two, three or more attacks had happened the other side of the city. There was talk of hostages and we are all thinking... please, not again! Scenes of the January attack come flooding back immediately.

A phone call home to check on the kids and to confirm that they are safe.  Another minute for the situation to sink in. It seems surreal as a creeping, familiar feeling of having lived though this anguish not so long ago overcomes me.

Terrible attacks have hit our city. It is a very, very sad day for Paris. The uncertainty and the feeling of helplessness to defend ourselves leads to fear. Now, you can either give in to this fear or defy it. It depends on your personality, culture and attitude, I suppose. Everyone reacts as best they can.

However, the media are producing headlines that can't be helping the current situation of nationwide emotional instability. I have turned the TV off for a while. We cannot let ourselves descend onto the assailant's level. We are not at war! We are a civilized country. We have values, believes and a constitution that prevents us from descending into chaos.

Going for my morning run, I find the ho-bos sitting on their usual corner, the cafés are open as are the local supermarkets. There is less traffic but I am queuing at the boulangerie just like every Saturday morning. Life goes on. People are exchanging knowing looks but the Parisian who ventured out of the house today are sending a message. A devastating tragedy has occurred but we need to "faire face" and stand united and strong against this threat.

As I walk home carrying my shopping, I can hear a familiar tune and I turn my head. All the way down the road a four year old boy is singing "La Marseillaise" at the top of his lungs for everyone to hear while his Dad is pushing his stroller. That is what I will tell my kids: Stand up for your rights and show solidarity. Sing "La Marseillaise".

Lugano's biggest Family Fun Fair 2015

It will be the biggest family fun fair ever organised in Lugano. No matter if you are expat, local or just visiting the area. This is an event NOT to be missed. Meet new people, make new contacts, discover new tastes and sounds, encounter coaches, teachers, artists, writers and entrepreneurs of all sorts. Who knows you might make a new friend or two? Spread the word and bring your friends along too.

On the day be entertained by: 
International School of Ticino www.isticino.com ongoing activities
Kids' Klub www.kidsklub.ch offering ongoing face painting, bouncing castle and the possibility to discover and try
instruments under the supervision of wonderful music teachers
Art4life www.art4life.ch
Daniela Puggioni kids craft: www.dpuggioni.tumblr.com
Kelly Fisher www.ktf-writers-studio.ch

Meet, Sample or Buy:
TASTE OF AMERICA www.tasteofamerica.ch
Rapelli www.rapelli.com
Egle Berruti Photography www.egleberruti.com
JEUNESSE Sparkling: www.sparklingdonatella.jeunesseglobal.com
Lphpannolinoteca.com www.lphpannolinoteca.com
All For Kids Catalog www.allforkids.ch
Nice Jewerly www.niceglobal.es
Benefit: www.facebook.com/BodyBeneFitCoaching
ilseS.eu Jewelry www.facebook.com/IlseS.eu
Internations www.internations.org
IWCL www.iwcl.org/IWCL/Home.html
ACCD IWCL charity 2015 www.ccdlugano.wordpress.com
AWOT www.awot.ch

Check out the food court: 
Indulge in Asian Fusion delights (www.vgcatering.com). Ogle over
Columbian food & Cupcakes and sweet (www.facebook.com/pages/Guilty-Pleasure-Cupcakes-Cakes-Desserts/205770926165610?fref=ts). Enjoy homemade sandwiches & more by St. Edwards Church (www.stedwards.ch/) and take home some Indian food.

Last minute tip:
If you contact Norma from Taste of America and order beforehand, they'll bring the products to the fair. You'll have cans of Pumpkin Pie Mix and bags of Cranberries just in time for Thanksgiving!

Generously the International School of Ticino and many exhibitors are offering special discounts to IWCL members.

Venue: Family Fun Fair 2015
Where: Hotel Pestalozzi, Piazza Indipendenza 9, 6900 Lugano
When: Sunday, November 22nd, 2015
Time: 11:00 to 17:00

If you want to know more please write to iwcleveninggroup@gmail.com

Happy Halloween

A lovely autumn day in Lugano

Last weekend was one those perfect autumn Sundays where Lugano works its magic on me and there is no other place I'd like to be in the world. AS they say a picture is worth more than 1000 words.

Stretching to see the Ponte de Melide

Monte Bre or the Vesuvio?

Tempted to jump off?

Souvenirs for tourists...

... and treats for the locals.

Vanini, the place to see and be seen over a coffee or Aperitivo

The delicatessen store in town

Feeling nostalgic

Lugano's latest addition: LAC

Lugano's new cultural centre, LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura was created with the aim of adding value to the cultural and artistic life of the city and the region.

Eco-friendly food shopping: a new kid in town

We are all concerned when it comes to recycling. If you live in Switzerland you know what an Eco center is, a place where you meet your neighbour on a Saturday morning - on your way to washing your car - to sort and throw out the recyclable trash accumulated during the week.

Packaging is an essential part of a product's sale. It's all good for those who appreciate the form, the aesthetics and the information it can provide. It's all bad for those who believe and/or work in daily task of reducing waste production.

Negozio Leggero promotes over 1500 cooperative goods in bulk. Just like in the olden days when having a bucket of milk was essential to transport it, you'll be helping yourself from a tap, filling containers brought from home with the desired amount.

Finally an alternative to shop without packaging! Great prices, organic products and there is everything: vegetables, soaps, pasta, wine, detergents, spices, teas and more.

So check out this new eco-friendly store where trendy presentation and emerging flavours will capture your attention and provide you and your kids with a totally new shopping experience.

Negozio Leggero, Via Lambertenghi 2, 6900 Lugano

StraLugano 2015

Get ready this weekend. There is a fantastic sporting opportunity for you and your kids coming up. It is a social happening that you cannot miss. Head down town and enjoy the last summer vibes during the annual event of Stralugano.

Stralugano's philosophy extends from elite athletes to the occasional runner but - above all - it has a big heart. A heart logo displays the sensitivity not only in sports but towards neighbours and especially towards those who are not lucky enough to live full and free movement of their body.

Therefore, since it's creation ten years ago, Stralugano has paid particular attention in supporting worthy organizations and enhance their sensitivity.

The six races planned are:
- 30 km - for the usual runners that practice the marathon or the half-marathon
- 10 km - half competitive: 10 winners will be chosen by lot from the finishers
- StraLugano Relay - race on the 30 km course with 3 fractions
- Kidsrun - race for children and kids (max 14 years old)
- Handbike

... and NEW this year the FLUORUN! On Saturday 26 at 21.00 get ready for a run that will illuminate the streets of Lugano! 45 minutes of non-competitive race, full of energy and super sparkly. So, choose your favourite fluo color and... participate together with your friends in Lugano's first FluoRun!

Hurry, you can still register until September 26th, 2015 (between 14.00 and 20.00) at the "Centro Manifestazioni" in via Campo Marzio.

The Stralugano is a run and fun event: a folklore festival is held at the "Stralugano Village" that includes amusements, music, fitness, shopping and support for various charity associations. The festival kicks off on Saturday afternoon and continues all Sunday.

Here's the programme:

Saturday, September 26th, 2015
14.00               Piazza Manzoni - Apertura Villaggio StraLugano
14.00 - 20.00   Centro Esposizioni - Ritiro pettorali e iscrizioni tardive
14.00 - 18.00   Piazza Manzoni - Iscrizioni e ritiro pettorali KidsRun
16.00 - 20.00   Piazza Luini - Iscrizioni FluoRun
16.00               Liceo 1 – Verifiche tecniche partecipanti gara handbike
20.00               Piazza Manzoni – Lungolago – Gara Internazionale di handbike
21.00               Piazza Luini – Lungolago – Partenza FluoRun
21.00 - 24.00   Piazza Riforma – Evento Musicale - 10 anni di StraLugano
                        Concerto dei Karma Krew e dei Vad Vuc

Sunday, September 27th, 2015
Race 30km, Staffette, 10km
07.00 - 09.00  Centro Esposizioni – Ritiro pettorali
08.30 - 09.45  Piazza Luini – Warm Up SUVA
09.55              Piazza Manzoni - Lungolago-Cerimonia di partenza con inno svizzero
10.00              Piazza Manzoni - Lungolago – Partenza 30km, Staffetta e 10km
10.30              Piazza Manzoni - Lungolago – Primi arrivi gara 10km City
11.30              Piazza Manzoni - Lungolago – Primi arrivi gara 30km Panoramic
12.00              Piazza Manzoni - Lungolago – podio maschile e femminile gara 30km
12.00              Centro Esposizioni – Migros Pasta Party
13.00              Centro Esposizioni – Premiazioni 10km City
14.00              Centro Esposizioni – Premiazioni 30km Panoramic e Staffette

KidsRun
Fino ore 12.00 Piazza Riforma - InfoPoint ultime iscrizioni
Fino ore 13.30  Piazza Riforma - InfoPoint ritiro pettorali
13.30              Riva Albertolli – Ritrovo partecipanti
14.00 - 15.00 Piazza Manzoni - Lungolago - gare delle diverse categorie
15.15              Piazza Riforma – Premiazioni
15.30              Chiusura della 10a edizione della StraLugano

US Consular Outreach in Lugano

Guess who is coming to town? The American Consular Officer to Switzerland J. Barrett Travis and his consular assistant from the U.S. Embassy in Bern. They will be here to offer a wide range of consular services to the American community. This is a unique opportunity to have documents notarized, passport applications signed, and applications processed for “Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.” Fees for consular services are payable in cash only (currency: Swiss francs).

After the main consular event, there will be time allocated for Questions and Answers. Do take the chance to engage in an active Q&A session and have all those pending questions addressed in person!

Venue: US Consular Outreach in Lugano
Where: THE PALMER CENTER, TASIS, Via Collina d’ Oro, 6926 Montagnola
Date: Friday, September 25, 2015
Time: 16:30 – 19:30
16:30 – 17:00 Welcome and introductory speech by Consul J. Barrett Travis
17:00 – 19:00 Consular services – no appointments are necessary, visitors will be handled
19:00 Q&A

Grand Opening of Lugano's LAC

Finally the time has come after years of construction the LAC is celebrating it opening this week.

LAC (Lugano Arte e Cultura) is the new cultural centre dedicated to the visual arts, music and the performing arts, which promises to become one of Switzerland’s most important cultural institutions, with the aim of promoting a wide range of art and establishing Lugano as a cultural crossroads between northern and southern Europe.

LAC will also be home to the newly-created Museo d'Arte della Svizzera italiana (Art Museum of Italian Switzerland), formed by the amalgamation of the Cantonal Art Museum and the Art Museum of the City of Lugano. Located over three floors, the gallery will hold a permanent exhibition containing the collections of the City of Lugano and of the Canton Ticino, temporary exhibitions and site specific installations. A new 1,000 seat concert and theatre venue, entirely wood-panelled and fitted with a special modular and removable acoustic shell, is ready for a varied programme of performances and concerts.

The center is guaranteed to have an International touch thanks to its Canadian born director Michel Gagnon.

Here is just a sneak preview for the three coming weekends:

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2015
Raise the curtain! A universe of magic, poetry and music for everybody: residents, families and the wider public

Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2015
Two days dedicated to the contemporary with focus on young and local talent

Friday 24 and Saturday 25 September 2015
Music Grand Finale

Click here for the detailed programme: LAC events

Radio Fiume Ticino Summer Tour 2015

Radio Fiume Ticino is one of the two local radio stations broadcasting live from Locarno, Switzerland, which focuses on Dance Pop hits. Throughout the summer they have been setting up shop in various lidos and pools.

Radio Fiume will be at the Lido di Lugano on Monday, August 24, 2015 to keep you company and to spend a nice afternoon together. The team will be broadcasting live. Imagine hanging out with friends, lots of laughter, entertainment and music, so what if there might be a few drops of rain?

For some time Radio Fiume Ticino has also stuck a collaboration with Lugano's Hockey Club, so you are bound to bump into some players of the team promoting the new season ticket campaign, taking pictures and signing autographs.

In case of very bad weather the event will be postponed to August 26th, 2015. Check with the Lido directly at 058 866 68 80.

Venue: Radio Fiume Ticino Summer Tour
Where: Lido di Lugano, Viale Castagnola 1, 6900 Lugano, Suiza
Date: Monday, August 24th, 2015
Time: 14:00 to 18:00

Unusual world record set in Valle Maggia

Surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Valle Maggia, a 27-year old Brazilian who grew up in Switzerland has set a new world record this month. Laso Schaller is a man without fear. He proved this by jumping off the top of the "Cascata del Salto", a waterfall gushing to life with summer rains located in the depths of the Maggia valley where water comes cascading down over a sheer drop into a deep pool, creating a stunning natural amphitheatre.

Passionate canyoneer and high-diver he performed a breathtaking dive of 58.8m over the picturesque waterfall. A spectacular, extraordinary and unique flying stunt.

See for yourself:

What is a Swiss Pass?

Over 2'300'000 Swiss residents own a Half-Fare travel card that lets them travel half price on all Swiss train (SBB) routes and most other railways as well as on boats, buses and trams.

With the launch of the SwissPass, SBB are taking the first step in a new era of travel on public transport and personal mobility. The SwissPass is more than just a Half-Fare travelcard as it offers  access to partner services from Mobility Carsharing, PubliBike, SwissMobile and in the ski areas.

Since 1 August 2015 your Half-Fare travelcard has been included on the SwissPass. Your SwissPass is a plastic card – just like your previous travelcards. However, what is different is that this one is equipped with two electronic RFID chips – technology that is already being used for ski passes, for example. Your personal SwissPass number is saved on these chips, and this is used to check your name and travel card. It is the key to your mobility. So check it out and Bon Voyage!

National Day 2015 greetings for the Swiss abroad

It has become kind of a tradition of mine to post the "President"'s address to the Swiss abroad otherwise known as the 1.August Speech on my blog.

President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, will give the Swiss National Day commemorative speech on the Rütli on 1 August.

The tranquil site on the southern finger of Lake Lucerne the locals call Lake Uri is nicknamed the "Cradle of the Confederation". Legend associates the meadow in the heart of Switzerland with the alliance of the three founding cantons in 1291. In 1804 the dramatist Friedrich Schiller then combined the myth of William Tell with the Rütli. And in 1860 the Swiss Society for the Public Good purchased the meadow and gave it to the Swiss confederation as an "inalienable national asset".

Should you decide to make a day's excursion out of it, here is the Rütli programme: http://www.sgg-ssup.ch/en otherwise you'll find Mrs Sommaruga's speech to the Swiss community abroad below:

Dear fellow Swiss around the world,

Today we all live in a globalised world. As Swiss living abroad, you know particularly well the meaning of globalisation.

Some of you will say: ‘Switzerland is and remains my home’. Others might say: ‘I have two homes – the country in which I live, and my country of origin, Switzerland’.

What is clear is that everyone needs a home. And by that I mean a feeling of having roots, having an identity.

In Switzerland, there is currently a heated debate about this identity. Some people claim Switzerland stands for independence, sovereignty and going it alone in Europe.

For others, Switzerland is – and always has been – an open country connected to the rest of the world through clever alliances.

Dear fellow Swiss, Switzerland is not the only country facing these issues. Globalisation means change, and changes always raise questions and launch debates.

There is, however, one aspect on which almost all Swiss agree: our direct democracy is a unique political system – and we all identify with it.

I am proud to be president of the country whose citizens have the most political power and responsibility in the world. Direct democracy is a courageous system – and that is one of the reasons why I like it and why it fascinates me.

The results of votes are often very close. The reform of the television and radio law was approved in June by a margin of only around 3,000 votes. The Swiss media wrote that the Swiss abroad had made the difference.

And yet many citizens do not bother voting because they think their vote would not make a difference. How wrong this is was shown a few weeks ago by another vote – about car park fees – in a commune in central Switzerland. There were one thousand and sixty Yes votes. And the No votes?
One thousand and sixty-one...

So in Switzerland every vote really does count.

***

Dear fellow Swiss, your votes count too. Today, only a quarter of Swiss who live abroad are registered to vote in Switzerland. It would make me happy to see this figure increase over the coming weeks. After all, federal elections will be held in October. If you haven’t already registered to vote, you can do so in your embassy until mid- August.

What’s more, for many of you, votes and elections will in future be easier. This year, for the first time, a majority of cantons are offering electronic voting for Swiss who live abroad. So you can see that we are committed to enabling you to take part and exercise your responsibility.

Dear fellow Swiss, I send you warmest greetings from the cabinet and wish you a wonderful August the 1st – wherever you are in the world.

***

1.August Celebration in Lugano

The 1st of August is day of celebration in the whole of Switzerland. Different commemorative ceremonies will take place in Lugano, culminating in the speech of a prestigious guest in the Piazza della Riforma and in a big fireworks show on the gulf.

Here is tomorrow's program:

06:00 Reveille with the Drums
10:15 Meeting of the authorities in the Patio of the Town Council
10:30 Laying of the wreath at the Monument of Independence
11:00 Concert of the Castagnola Philharmonic Orchestra in Piazza della Riforma
20:30 Meeting of the Authorities and Associations of Via Nassa
20:45 Departure of the cortege of the Authorities (Route: Via Nassa, Piazza Battaglini, Riva Vela, Rivetta Tell, Via Canova, Via degli Albrizzi, Piazza Manzoni, Piazza Riforma)
21:15 Commemorative speech
21:45 Concert in Piazza della Riforma by the Civic Philharmonic of Lugano
22:30 Grand fireworks display
23:15 Musical entertainment in the city center

Enjoy! Happy 1. August to all!

Don't miss the 1. August Brunch

Switzerland's National holiday is approaching fast.

The 1.August Brunch has become a popular activity on our National Day. For the past 22 years Swiss farmers have been inviting city dwellers (Swiss and foreign alike) for brunch on a farm. Last year over 200'000 guests enjoyed the culinary adventure offered by 350 farms throughout Switzerland. Through this movement the farmers' families wish to promote a better understanding and sympathy of local agriculture by the city population.

The 1. August Brunch is an occasion that one should not miss. Hosted by selected Swiss farms who offer you a brunch, they will provide you with the opportunity to taste different kinds of cheese, meat, milk, bread, müesli and many other gastronomic specialities in a very particular atmosphere. You'll also have the certainty to try some excellent products with high quality standard's. If you're lucky you'll enjoy some typical Swiss music, meet a Swiss celebrity, be served out of a giant Roesti frying pan or admire some amazing National costumes. The kids will love all the direct contact with the farms' animals.

Book now for a brunch in one of the farms! Click here to find a list of Ticino's participating farmers.
For a detailed guide with info such as activites, animals or produce for sale click on the following link: http://www.agriturismo.ch/Brunch

My favourite so far is: Alpe Duragno at the top of Monte Tamaro. See purple trail on map.
The Agriturismo Ponte di Vello in Breno looks intriguing. My friends recommend the farms on top of Monte Generoso.

As places in the farms are limited, registration is mandatory and better done early. You can register by telephoning the farmers directly before July 30th 2013. There are still quite a few spots left as of this morning. Please communicate how many children and adults you'll be. look for a brunch place near you here: http://www.brunch.ch/it/ricerca-fattoria/

Venue: 1.August Brunch
When: Saturday, August 1st, 2015
Time: 9:00 - 13:00
Price: CHF 20.- to 40.-
Directions: All participating farms will be signposted with the logo: «Brunch»
For more info:
Tel: 056 462 51 67 on workdays from 8:00 bis 12:00 and from 13.00 to 17:00
or  091 851 90 90 for the Ticino.
E-Mail: info@brunch.ch
Homepage: www.brunch.ch