Everywhere you look in Switzerland, you will find stunning natural beauty. The imposing Alps stretch toward the sky, the lush greenery is more shades than you ever realized existed and the lake is deep and pure. Geneva sits at the point where the Rhône flows out of Lake Geneva, with the Jura ridges on one […]
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Lake Geneva
It’s easy to see why Byron, Shelley and Dickens escaped to Lake Geneva whenever possible. Everything is here: mountains, castles, farmland, vineyards, sophisticated cities, quaint villages…oh, and the cheese, chocolate and wine doesn’t hurt. Also, maybe it’s the time of year we’re visiting, but the air is crisp and fresh and invigorating. Lake Geneva is […]
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 […]
Chiesa di Sant’Antonio, Locarno
Chiesa di Sant’Antonio was originally built in the 14th century, but the current structure dates back only to the 19th century, when it was rebuilt after a fatal roof collapse that killed 47 congregants. Inside, there’s a single nave with several side chapels featuring works by local painters. Corinthian pillars support the ceiling. This church […]
Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi, Locarno
In the 14th century, Chiesa di San Francesco was consecrated as part of a monastery. The entire compound was built over a 13th-century church that had been founded by wandering Franciscans. The building we see today was renovated in the 16th century with stones from nearby Castello Visconteo. The interior is decorated with symbols representing […]
Chiesa Nuova di Locarno
17th-century Chiesa Nuova fronts right onto the street, startling passersby with its enormous statue of Saint Christopher. Though he is represented with a larger-than-life physique, unfortunately he has disproportionally small feet. The baroque church has a stuccoed ceiling with meticulous details including gilded scallops, elaborate scrollwork and cherubs. The side door opens into a serene […]
Castello Visconteo, Locarno
You can’t miss this as you wander through tiny Locarno. This fortified castle was originally built in the 10th century. The castle changed hands many times and was occupied by the Milanese Visconti clan in the 14th century. It was taken by French forces in the 15th century and the castle and town fell to […]
Santuario della Madonna del Sasso
Locarno’s main sight, Santuario della Madonna del Sasso, sits partway up a steep hill and therefore requires a bit of effort to reach. Monk Bartolomeo d’Ivrea built this sanctuary in 1480 after the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared to him in a vision. Though there is a funicular that runs to the sanctuary, you still have […]
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 […]
