Hi there,

I would like to do a trip in Ticino for a couple of days (1-2 nights).

I am looking for a nice location and hotel to spend some time relaxing (maybe by a pool) and hopefully enjoying some good weather.

Any suggestions?

Thank you
Chiara

Chiara is a bit of an Italian name but you live in Zurichsee; so if you want to go to Ticino and speak German, go for Locarno or Ascona.
However, I personally prefer Lugano.

Hi,

Visit both Lugano and Ascona if you get a time.

Ascona is gorgeous. Definitely go for a swim in the Val di Maggia at Ponte Brolla. If you fancy a drink or a snack afterwood try the Grotto America.

If you're in Ascona in the evening or for lunch try Seven Easy. It's owned by a well known Swiss chef. He has restaurants on both sides of the water but the more casual version (hence the name easy) on the left facing the water is more reasonably priced and very nice.

Have fun

I second the recommendation for Seven Easy. My husband and I have been there last Easter and the food was great and the service was really (although at the time it was incredible crowded in the evening).

http://www.elvezialago.ch/EN/p45-eng.html
a place I like located near Castagnola, and in some minutes walking distance away from Gandria, which is in my opinion one of the nicest areas of Ticino (where I was born btw , so I may be slightly biased).

Morcote, which you can see on my avatar, is a bit further down and there's a place to stay near of in Carona
http://www.villacarona.ch/index.php?id=2&L=3
I didn't stay at this hotel over night, but ate in their restaurant which I'd very recommend.

Regarding swimming pools, none of these places have one, but swimming in the lake is much more fun anyway and the hotel in Castagnola has a pier at the lake, so...

Hope you'll have a nice weekend down in Ticino! (and don't forget to check the weather forecast!)

Some good tips and feedback here :

Long weekend in Ticino - where to stay, what not to miss?

Il bello Ticino!

Locarno / Ascona / Lugano ... Where do we go ??!!

Hi,

A few years back we went to Locarno on the Wilhelm Tell Express - the whole thing can be booked at your local SBB travel office.

You take a regular train from your home town to Luzern - where you get on a boat that goes down the Vierwaldstättersee to Flüelen where you get on the panoramic train. You can then go the whole way to Lugano or change at Bellinzona for Locarno. We stayed at the Hotel Muralto which was nice - the breakfast terrace is overlooking the lake.

If you have a Halbtax [halfprice card] or GA [General Subscription] you can reduce the cost of the trip quite a bit.

Personally I prefer Locarno to Lugano (a matter of taste of course) - just like Italy but without the litter.

Cheers,
Nick

Thank you everybody!

Weather forecast says we will have great weather all over Switzerland starting from Thursday, so have a great time, wherever you are going to be

I recommend a stop in Giornico. Enjoy strolling around the old village and don't miss the 13th century church, see the painted buildings, and have dinner at the Grotto dei Due Ponti under the grape vines, with the river roaring by below the terrace.

http://www.grotto2ponti.ch/

http://files.myopera.com/John98wbr/a...20Giornico.jpg

Hey,
there is a great grotto up in Montagnola click here.
They have super nice rooms, and the food is very traditional.

The entire area is beautiful, and Lugano is great! There is enough to do down in Lugano for weeks. Taking a boat on the lake, swimming, the Casino, churches.

PS: The grotto doesn't have a pool, but it's still great! And the weather is always great here!

Hi,
Lugano is a great place with many possibilities. Try also Locarno and Ascona.
To be a bit in the nature, I recommend to take a swim in the river in Vale Verzasca. The water is cold, but the surroundings is amazing.

At the end I had a great weekend in Ticino, thank you for all your suggestions!!!

We went for the Wilhelm Tell Express route, which is a great trip by boat from Luzern to Flüelen (thank you Nick) and then continued on a panoramic wagon to Locarno.

We stayed at the garni Muralto, nice hotel, great location walking distance to train station and lake vue, and reasonable prices.

Then we went to Lugano and stayed at the Continental hotel, also perfect location, only few steps from the train station, and great view over the lake. They also have a nice swimming pool in a park.

Weather was excellent, so we had a perfect Ticino weekend

My favourite town in the canton ticino is Bellinzona. I like the old town, the castels, shops and restaurants. Unfortuantely I don't know so far a good hotel there. For small budgets they just opened a new hostel (Jugendherberge) which seems to be nice.