Lugano between art, lake and mountains

Lugano combines cultural offerings with a lakeside landscape and mountains whose views you can enjoy. The historic centre features Lombard-style buildings, museums and cultural centres. When looking for a hotel in Lugano, you could first consider whether you would rather plan your trip around art and exhibitions or around parks, water and paths. The city offers specific points of interest for both.

Art, museums and cultural history

Bernardino Luini’s “Passion and Crucifixion” is housed in the Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli. The work is considered Switzerland’s most significant Renaissance monument. LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura offers a different perspective on Lugano’s cultural life: this internationally oriented cultural centre focuses on performing arts, music and visual art. The Santa Maria degli Angeli 3D route is an augmented reality experience lasting just over 30 minutes. It starts at the LAC Book Shop and ends back at LAC, the centre of the city’s cultural life. The starting point and route may change, so check the route details before your visit.

The Museo d’Arte della Svizzera italiana, known as MASI Lugano, was founded in 2015 through the merger of the Museo Cantonale d’Arte and the Museo d’Arte di Lugano. MUSEC is located in the historic Villa Malpensata on the shores of Lake Lugano. Its programme of exhibitions and events is dedicated to ethnic and Oriental arts, photography, and modern and contemporary art. Highlights from the permanent collections are freely accessible in the Spazio Tesoro; access arrangements may change.

Those interested in public art will find a significant collection of works in the Parco delle sculture. The works were created mainly after the mid-20th century by Swiss and international artists. This sets the sculpture park apart from the institutional exhibitions at LAC and MUSEC: here, the art collection is the focus of a park.

Lake, paths and green spaces

Paths wind through the Parco Ciani between statues, fountains and flowerbeds; there is also a large playground. The vegetation combines subtropical flora with Mediterranean plants. These include palms and exotic shrubs, as well as roses, azaleas, magnolias and camellias. The park offers the chance to enjoy landscaped paths and a wide variety of plant life together.

The Lido di Lugano offers a sandy beach, swimming pools in various shapes and sizes, and extensive green spaces. Those more interested in the nature of Ticino can also visit the Museo cantonale di storia naturale. Its permanent exhibition uses large dioramas to provide an overview of the region’s notable animals and plants. Other sections cover rocks, minerals and fossils, including the famous reptiles of Monte San Giorgio; there is also an extensive section on fungi. Individual displays may be updated.

For example, the Gandria Path can be followed on foot around the lake and is rich in partly rare plant and animal species. The Sentiero naturalistico e archeologico di Gandria is a separate route: it has 15 numbered stops for observing distinctive environmental features. The path can be reached from Lugano by post bus or boat. As timetables and path infrastructure may change, it is worth checking connections and route information in advance.

Science, activities and city life

L’ideatorio combines interactive science exhibitions with an astronomical planetarium featuring four different projections, as well as a workshop with creative activities. Exhibitions, programmes and access arrangements may change. In addition, LAC edu organises hundreds of cultural learning activities each year for people of all ages. The number and specific activities may vary.

The Museo cantonale di storia naturale also caters to different groups—children, schools and adults—with changing exhibitions, courses, conferences and educational activities. When planning, it makes a difference whether you want to focus on a museum with a permanent exhibition, changing educational activities or a science experience.

Weekly markets in the streets of Lugano’s city centre add an everyday glimpse of the city to its cultural and scenic offerings. They sell food, handicrafts and antiques. As market times may change, it is a good idea to check the latest dates if you plan to visit a market.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Maglio Di Colla, Aldesago, Castagnola, Pregassona, Viganello, Vernate Ti, Cadro, Muzzano.

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