With the lake of the same name lapping at its shores, Lugano, in the Italian-speaking Ticino region of Switzerland, is an ideal holiday destination. Enjoying a combination of Swiss efficiency, Italian architecture and cuisine and a Mediterranean climate, it’s not hard to see why this is one of Switzerland’s most popular holiday resorts.
Just over an hour by car from Milan and less than three hours from Zurich, Lugano can also be reached by train. A bus service from the city to Tirano connects with the Bernina Express panoramic train to St. Moritz.
Population: 63,000
Canton: Ticino
Average high temperatures: January – 6C / 44F; April – 15C / 60F; July – 27C / 80F; October – 16C / 62F
Christmas market dates: 30 November, 2019 to 6 January, 2020. (More info here.)