A Relaxing and Active Stay in Locarno, Locarno, Switzerland

Locarno is a charming lake-side town in the Italian-speaking south of Switzerland. Among its highlights are the lakeshore promenade, the historic old town, and the hilltop sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso. It’s perfect for a laid-back vacation with good food and beautiful vistas. These are some of the top things to do in Locarno.

Locarno sits on the Lake Maggiore, which extends into Italy. The Locarno promenade is a great place to take in views of the lake, visit perfectly manicured parks, and have a cappuccino in a café terrace. On the southern tip of the promenade, you can visit some beautiful city parks as well as the recreational water park, Lido Locarno, which has several pools including a thermal pool. As you make your way up along the promenade, you’ll pass several community gardens including the Giardini Rusca and the large garden along Viale Verbano, which also has a large children’s playground.

The Locarno ferry terminal is also on the promenade, from which you can take a short ferry to other towns along the lake like Ascona. This can connect you to towns from which you can do a boat tour to one of the beautiful islands on the lake like the Borromean Islands and Isole di Brissago. Because the lake is so large, the full ferry route from Locarno to the Borromean Islands is around 2:30 hours. It’s important to remember that if you’re planning to cross into a city in Italy, you’ll need your passport. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).