| | |

Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, Ascona

Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo is not only the center of Ascona’s old town, but its high campanile adorned with a baroque version of the town’s coat of arms is the skyline. The building we see today has been around since the 16th century and is the result of the original 13th-century structure’s enlargement….

|

Ascona

Ascona is considered Locarno’s lakeside twin. It is located just across the Maggia delta on the north tip of Lake Maggiore. Ascona is a once-tiny fishing port turned popular resort town. Writers, artists and celebrities such as Paul Klee, Hermann Hesse and Carl Jung all sought refuge in Ascona’s sunny lakeside setting. Though the retail…

|

Locarno

Swiss resort town Locarno crowns the northern tip of Lake Maggiore and nestles up against the balmy southern foothills of the Alps. Though it is in Switzerland, Locarno is in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. Its proximity to Italy makes it feel very un-Swiss-like. Locarno is full of Italianate piazzas and arcades and colorful Renaissance…

|

Stresa

Strolling along Stresa’s wide waterfront promenade is like stepping back in time to when wealthy aristocrats embarked on grand tours of continental Europe. Extravagant hotels and luscious gardens line the picturesque lakefront. Don’t forget to have a seat on a bench and take in the view of Lake Maggiore and Isola Bella. Wander the cobblestone…