Apart from Lugano itself, there are other places on the shores of Lake Lugano that are worth seeing. The best way is by ship, visiting one of the attractions of the region or dropping in for lunch in a typical grotto. There’s no better way to relax and enjoy your day.
From 8th April 2017, you can enjoy the new boat tours, for example the Magic Tour with four different stops: Leaving Lugano for the romantic village of Gandria and the Cantine di Gandria with the Museo delle Dogane then to Melide, where you can visit the Swissminiatur, the well-known park of Switzerland in a scale from 1:25 or walk along the lake to Bissone all the way to Morcote. This peaceful lakeshore village was once entirely devoted to fishing and is the winner of the contest for "the most beautiful village in Switzerland".
World Water Day is held on March 22nd to raise awareness of the importance of freshwater. It helps bring attention to a crisis faced by millions around the globe – limited access to fresh, clean water.
This year's theme is 'why waste water' and focuses on getting people to stop wasting the valuable resource.
It is estimated that 663 million people live without access to safe water close to their homes. Instead, they must travel long distances or queue for hours to get it. Many also have to cope with contaminated water – and the associated health problems.
The United Nations General Assembly officially designated March 22nd as World Water Day in 1993. Since then, campaigns have focused on improving water quality and access to freshwater for people around the world. In 2015 – and as part of the Sustainable Development Goals – a UN Initiative set a target to make sure everyone on the planet has access to safe water by 2030.
It is estimated that by 2030, the demand for water will have increased by 50% – most of which will be from people living in cities. As a result, World Water Day organisers are calling for new approaches to wastewater management.
Facts about waste water:
- At present, more than 80% of wastewater produced is pumped back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused.
- Despite most of the world's population being expected to live in cities by 2050, most – especially in developing countries – do not have the infrastructure or resources needed to manage wastewater.
- 1.8 billion people (more than a quarter of the world's population) use a source of drinking water that is contaminated by faeces. This places them at risk of a host of deadly diseases including dysentery, cholera and polio.
- It is estimated that unsafe water and poor sanitation kills 842,000 people every year.
- An area of land roughly equivalent to the size of Sri Lanka is irrigated with wastewater or polluted water. This causes health problems in the farmers working on the land, and eventually the people who consume the products they produce.
- Water, sanitation and hygiene could prevent 9.1% of the global disease burden – and an estimated 6.3% of all deaths.
- Improved water sources reduces the number of deaths from diarrhoea by 21%, while improved sanitation can reduce it by 37.5%.
- According to the USGS, the average person uses up to 100 gallons of water per day. 95% of this goes down the drain – meaning each person wastes between 76-95 gallons every day.
- Despite most of the planet being covered by water, most of it is not available for human use. If the Earth's water fitted into a four litre jug, just one tablespoon would be available freshwater.
World-renowned adventure photographer Chris Burkard has been discovering the Ticino and turned it into his playground to promote Switzerland abroad together with Swiss Tourism board and Swiss Airlines.
Chris picked out some of his favorite activities which many of us living in Ticino might have been enjoying with our kids. Even if you are a local the video is fun to watch. See how many places you recognize.
Be sure to share it with your friends living in the United States (this drawing is offered only in the US) so they can win the Ultimate Swiss Adventure here in Ticino: register to win a trip!
The chestnut tree trail winds through the woods and explores the land of chestnut trees! Besides revealing woods, crops, chestnut trees, the trail accompanies you through pleasant surroundings and a harmonious landscape where nature stands out in all its splendour.
The itinerary offers you several panoramic spots and the possibility of admiring the architectural details of certain picturesque villages that this very special excursion joins together. Several didactic points, simply marked on the ground and amply illustrated in a separate brochure, may be found along the way. You can even cover just short legs of this trail.
Join the local tradition and pick some chestnuts along the way for arts and crafts. Have fun!
Details
Difficulty: easy
Km: 11
Elevation difference: 215 m
Duration: 4-5 h
Itinerary: Arosio-Mugena-Vezio-Fescoggia-Breno-Caroggio-Arosio
Important: All of the locations along this path may be reached by using public transportation.
For more info click here: http://www.luganoturismo.ch/
It is a Swiss tradition to go mushroom picking in the woods. But how to tell the good ones from the bad ones?
Well, one way is to bring them to your local pharmacy. Yes, mushroom selecting is just one of the many services a pharmacist is trained to do in Switzerland. Click here for the list: http://www.vapko.ch
You could also attend a lecture at the local school of Montagnola where a mushroom specialist will explain and show you the good ones from the bad ones for adult and kids!
Adriano Sassi who speaks Italian, French and English is a VAPKO expert and president of the Scientific Society Commission. He will lecture on the following themes:
• What are mushrooms?
• Observe to determine
• Main species and their habitats
• Mushrooms: their shape, habitat and growth.
Adriano Sassi will answer questions from the audience. You can bring your mushroom collection and have them checked by an expert.
Venue: Ticino's mushrooms
Where: Centro Scolastico Montagnola, Aula Magna, 6926 Montagnola
Date: Thursday, September 29th, 2016
Time: 20:00
The event is free!
What better way to see out the month of July than to enjoy a relaxing yoga session with a spectacular view onto the lake of Lugano?
Join Kat Walser as she practices yoga al fresco along the lake tomorrow morning at the Bagno pubblico!
Bring your mat and soak in the beauty of nature in front of you: the lake, the mountains, the sky… while Yoga Roof’s beautiful teacher guides you in a peaceful and regenerating practice.
All levels are welcome.
Spread the news, bring a friend: this is a great opportunity to try yoga and enjoy the practice in unbeatable surroundings.
Venue: Yoga al fresco
Where: Bagno pubblico Lugano, Riva Caccia , 6900 Lugano
Date: Sunday, July 30th, 2016
Time: 9:00 - 10:00
Price: CHF 6.- for Riva Caccia entrance, the yoga class is free!
Hiking is a Swiss National sport. Here is a suggestion for lovely day's outing through the picturesque Val Piora via a pleasant round hike over the high plateau.
A whole bunch of beautiful mountain lakes, remnants of the last ice age, are scattered throughout the Piora tableland high above Levantine. The largest is the bluish-green Ritom lake, which lies at solely a half-hour’s hike from the mountain station of the amazingly steep funicular railway. A small gravel path leads firstly to the western end of the lake, and then along the northern shore to Cadagno di Fuori.
From there you can reach Alpe di Piora either directly or via a delightful looping trail that runs through the moorland landscape surrounding the Cadagno lake.
The delicious Piora cheese is made on this Alp of the same name and is known to be one of Switzerland’s most refined and sought-after delicacies. From the Cadagno hut the route leads through a small arc to the opposite side of the valley and then slightly upwards via Fontanella to the highest point of the tour, close to the Forca Pass.
Stop for a well-deserved rest around the Ritomsee lake and enjoy the fantastic views from the upper Levantine before you make your way back to the Piora mountain station. The route is about 12km and takes about 4 hours without stopping but trust me you will want to stop time and again to take pictures with your camera or in your mind. It is a truly unforgettable experience and well worth the hike!
Lugano Tourism is offering some “all-inclusive” programmes at the tourist information offices to help you get the most out of the Ticino region.
The itineraries can be modified to best suit your needs. Starting and finishing points are only suggestive, so you’ll be able to organise your trips depending on your preferences.
Why not adventure on a fascinating excursion from Lugano to Casino? The trip includes a visit to the Fishing Museum as well as to the Chocolate Museum.
You could also take the cableway from Miglieglia to the top of Monte Lema and 10 minutes later, you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular view which will accompany you on your hike to Monte Tamaro. From Monte Tamaro, a cableway will take you to Rivera.
Or take a boat trip to Gandria, a romantic fishermen’s village, to visit the small hamlet and have lunch in a typical grotto. You may go back to Lugano either by boat or by taking the Olive Path, a pleasant walk back to town where you can stop for a swim and bask in the sun at Lido S. Domenico.
You don't have to be a tourist to enjoy these outings. Why not plan a fun afternoon with your kids when there are off school?
On World Water Day, people everywhere show that they care and that they have the power to make a difference. They get inspired by information and use it to take action and change things. This year many will focus on the power that water and jobs have to transform people’s lives. Nearly all jobs are related to water and those that ensure its safe delivery. But today, millions of people who work in water are often not recognized or even protected by basic labour rights. This needs to change.
World Water Day is an opportunity to learn more and be inspired to tell others. Read reports, watch videos and download teaching material from the international water community: http://www.unwater.org
Switzerland is often called "Europe's water reservoir". Want to learn more about the Swiss power of water?
Is the Earth’s atmosphere is changing? Are we are responsible for these changes? What are the consequences of these changes, and what should we do about them? Drawing on materials developed for a course Dr. Reimer teaches at Berkeley, he will be in Lugano at the Franklin University to share his answers to these questions. This special lecture is entitled "Benvolio Knew It, and Now We Live It: Our Changing Climate".
Dr. Reimer received his bachelor’s degree (with honors) from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and his doctorate from the California Institute of Technology. In addition to his 170 research publications, Professor Reimer is co-author (with T.M. Duncan) of the introductory text "Chemical Engineering Design and Analysis" (Cambridge University Press, 1998), and the text "Carbon Capture and Sequestration" (with Berend Smit, Curt Oldenburg, Ian Bourg, World Scientific Press, 2013)
Don't miss it!
Venue: Benvolio Knew It, and Now We Live It: Our Changing Climate
Where: Franklin University, Nielsen Auditorium, Via Ponte Tresa 29, 6924 Sorengo
When: Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
For further info click here: FUS, Lugano
To celebrate 200 years of existence of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT), the Parco Ciani will become a place to discover the natural sciences hands on next week.
Travel the cosmos in an inflatable planetarium, test your sense of smell and discover the microscopic life in a drop of water, all these exciting activities will be accessible free of charge from Thursday October 15th to Tuesday, October 20th, 2015 with a special programme over the weekend.
Park turned into Lab
In the science tent choose between different scientific activities such as "A gym for the senses'" or "So much life in the water!"
The wonderful universe
Four steps to the stars will take visitors on a journey into the cosmos inside a planetarium. Catch a presentation every hour.
The amazing life below the ground
The earth is a multitude of strands of mushrooms, insects, worms and earthworms, roots of all shapes and sizes as well as some bigger inhabitants! Discover what's below your feet.
The event is coordinated by l'Ideatorio in collaboration with the Society of Natural Sciences and the Ticino Cantonal Museum of Natural History. Guaranteed lots of family fun.
The most beautiful season to visit the Ticino is not necessarily summer like many tourist think, my personal favourite is autumn. It brings us days that are still sunny, ideal for strolling through the city, on the lakeshore or among the market stalls. It allows for wonderful excursions into the valleys or even some trekking in the mountains. Autumn’s colours are sweet and golden, and the seasonal scents of grapes and roasted chestnuts stir the emotions. Autumn in Ticino is a truly re-invigorating experience. What is your favourite season here?
Do you enjoy hiking? Looking for company with the same passion? Then TI Sentieri, Ticino's hiking association has an answer. Their mission is setting up and constantly updating the cantonal hiking trails, while improving the information mapping. They also organize guided excursions and train guides. You'll recognise their efforts when you spot the yellow hiking signs.
Their next guided tour leads to the source of the Brenno river near Lucomagno. It is an all day hike departing at 8:45 from Alpe Casaccia and returning there around 17:00.
All you need is a good pair of hiking shoes, appropriate all-weather gear, a bottle of water and a snack and you are set. Cost: CHF 20.-
Venue: Hike to the source of River Brenno
Where: Alpe Casaccia near Blenio
Date: Wednesday, August 26th, 2015
Time: 8:45
For more info call: Mr Hess at 079/760'26'23 and register today.
For a detailed programme click here: www.ticinosentieri.ch
Graubünden Tourism is bringing together the most hectic and most peaceful places in Switzerland via an electronic live billboard at Zurich Central Station offering to transport stressed-out city dwellers to the Graubünden village of Vrin.
A very original and personalized video is testimony to an unusual approach in tourism marketing designed to publicize Vrin, a small Swiss village with just 275 inhabitants in the canton of Graubünden.
The protagonist of the advertising is a cheerful local mountain farmer, sitting on a meadow with his laptop which connects to a panel in Zürich's main train station: there he interacts with travellers proposing to come and visit him. Should they accept, he will print and offer them the train fare.
What a brilliant, simple and low cost, but high impact idea. Would you take the day off to catch some fresh mountain air?
Still looking for a day's outing to enjoy the views and get some fresh air? The Ritom lake is an absolute must-see if you live in the Ticino.
A whole bunch of beautiful mountain lakes – remnants of the last ice age – are scattered throughout the Piora tableland high above Leventina. The largest of them the bluish-green waters of the Ritom lake, which lies at solely a half-hour’s hike from the mountain station of the amazingly steep funicular railway. Here a small gravel path leads firstly to the western end of the lake, and then along the northern shore to Cadagno di Fuori.
Next in line is the Alpe di Piora, reached from here either directly or via a delightful looping trail that runs through the moorland landscape surrounding the Lago Cadagno lake. The delicious Piora alpine cheese is made on this Alp of the same name - and is known to be one of Switzerland’s most refined and sought-after delicacies. From the Capanna Cadagno hut the route leads through a small arc to the opposite side of the valley and then slightly upwards via Fontanella to the highest point of the tour, close to the Forca Pass. Having had your fill of fantastic views to the depths of the Ritom lake and upper Leventina, you then make your way back to the Piora mountain station.
Starting point: Funicolare Ritom, 6775 Ambrì, Ticino
Destination: Piotta/Piora
Getting to the start:Bus or car to Piotta, then funicular rail to Piora
Technical challenge: easy
Physical challenge:medium
Length: 12 km
Hiking time: 4 hours
For more info: http://www.ritom.ch
Looking for a place with a view? Beware, it is also a bit of a challenge.
The ridge path from the Gotthard Pass to the Bedretto valley is outstanding and has wonderful views onto the Tessin mountain world. The panorama ranges from Val Piora to the Cristallina region. The old Gotthardpass road, which winds its way in numerous curves up the Tremola ravine, is also impressive. A perfect getaway for hot, sweltering summer days. the hiking time is about 4 hours, however, it is an experience you won't forget.
The hike begins at Gotthard Pass and leads first of all along the main road, going South. The view into Tremola ravine is most impressive during the stretch along the road gallery. At the end of the gallery there is an ascent to Strade dei Banchi. After Costoni di Fieud, views of Leventina and Val Bedretto become visible. The ridge path leads past the alpine pastures of Pian Secco and Fibbia before it reaches its highest point at the alpine hut Rosso di fuori. The valley of Bedretto with its charming villages lies far below. The descent winds its way via Alpe di Vinei and Alpe di Cavanne down to Ronco.
Technical information
Begin of tour: Gotthard Hospiz bus stop
Access starting point: Journey from Airolo to Gotthard Pass by postal bus
Point of arrival: Ronco bus stop
Access point of arrival: Return trip by bus from Ronco
Hiking time: 4 h
Physical fitness: challenging
Difficulty: medium difficulty
Difference in elevation: 720 m
Should you be feeling very adventurous and terribly energetic, I have just the solution. Why not try to hike Lugano's scenic trail... or even parts of it!
The stunning, panoramic excursion (run) along ridges in the Lugano area through awe-inspiring landscapes offers unique vistas! The route follows a logical line linking a number of ridges. It starts from Tesserete and goes all the way to Monte Brè, above Lugano.
The official race is held once a year. This year it falls on Saturday, June 13th, 2015. Further information can be found on the Scenictrail.ch site.
Outside race-day, those embarking on this excursion can shorten or interrupt it at several points, see ti-sentieri.ch, a smashing site which contains the official network of hiking trails which you can print free of charge.
The entire route is marked by fixed signage with yellow signs showing the event logo against a greenback background. In any case, for safety's sake we recommend taking the route map with you. Download here: www.ti-sentieri.ch
54K RACE
Start: Tesserete 07:00
Finish: Tesserete
Total altitude gain: 3'900 D+
Distance: 54.2 Km
Time barriers:
Motto della Croce 10:00
San Lucio 13:00
Capanna Pairolo 15:00
Monte Bré 18:00
Alpe Bolla 20:15
Tesserete FINISH 22:15
24K RACE
Start: Tesserete 07:00
Finish: San Lucio
Total altitude gain: 2'200 D+
Distance: 23.8 Km
Time barriers:
Motto della Croce 10:00
San Lucio FINISH 13:00
Here's a little bit of Swiss general knowledge to make you smile or watch in awe or both.
Swiss Mountaineer Dani Arnold breaks the record for the quickest ascent of the north face of the Matterhorn mountain in the Alps. The 1,100 meter-high climb usually takes mountain climbers between 8 and 10 hours to complete. Arnold, 31, reached the top in just 1 hour and 46 minutes, breaking the previous record by 10 minutes.
Guess he didn't have much time to enjoy the view until he got to the top?!?
When Mother Nature speaks using her natural forces, humans usually only respond after the fact. Rather than work harder to prevent flooding caused by global warming, we organize relief efforts to rebuild entire communities washed away by hurricane. Instead of passing laws for stronger offshore oil drilling regulations, we use dishwashing detergent to clean off soiled shorebirds.
Well, the creators of the video below are hoping that since we don't listen to the way earth's natural forces beg for change, we might listen to the personified voice of Mother Nature. Of course, the effect of her voice is heightened when it's actually Julia Roberts.
Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Kevin Spacey, Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz, Robert Redford and Ian Somerhalder all join forces to give nature a voice. Watch the films and take action at www.natureisspeaking.org
