In the middle of July, my mother and I went away for a few days in Italian Switzerland. We are used to travel further away normally, but this time, we were a little bit last minute and decided to stay within Switzerland, which, even if it is such a small country, has so much to offer. Italian Switzerland was a good choice, as none of us has ever been there, and Locarno and Ascona looked like the perfect little towns for a chilled summer holiday, relaxing but still full of discoveries. Today, I am going to share with you our travel diary, what we did, what to see in those places, and why it is such a good destination, even though it is rather confidential.
Day 1
We left our place early in the morning, on Monday 16th July. We travel by car, for it was not tat far from our home, and it was the easiest way to move while we will be there. But also, to travel by car had the advantage to make of the journey an experience in itself. While driving, we crossed amazing landscape, and had the opportunity to go over the Simplon, a Swiss mountain. The road was pretty scary for somebody like me who suffers of vertigo, but it was definitely worth forgetting about my fears. The view was incredibly beautiful, and to be able to see from above is always a nice experience. We drove for quite a while, and discovered beautiful view, before finally arriving in Locarno. This was however not our first stop, before that we headed to the location of our Air B'N'B, in a small village called Brione Sopra Minusio. This tiny village, hung up the mountain, was offering the beast view over the lake and city. We could not have dreamt for a better landscape, and the flat we stayed in could not have been more typical. It was located right in the center of the village, behind the church, in the cutest house. A lovely place to relax. But not much time for that, because we right away headed back to Locarno for our first visit!
That first day, nothing particular was planed. We just wandered around town, trying to see as much as possible, getting lost in its small streets, stumbling upon cute shops and beautiful houses, hidden in mesmerizing and flourishing gardens. We also took a long walk along the lake, discovering this landscape, a different one that along the Leman Lake. As I always say, to get lost and wander around is always the best way to discover a new place.
However, on that day we did not limit ourselves to a walk around town, we took a boat to Isole Brissago, an adorable little island, reachable by boat in 10 minutes. On that island, we visited a rather exotic botanical garden, gathering plants from Asia, Australia, and obviously local ones. But this island is blessed with a Mediterranean climate, and we felt like we were way further than Ascona. It was a really enjoyable visit, a beautiful island that we loved to discover, yet it was a real battle, under the 40°C temperature and 3p.m sun, and when we went back to Ascona, we needed a little refreshment. So headed to the beach. Ascona's beach is just the best in this area. It is a sandy one, the water is clear and rather hot - 24°C for a lake is pretty good - and really agreeable with its trees and clean beach. We stayed there for the end of the day and evening, enjoying a dip in the Lake Major and a read on our beach towels. A day perfectly balancing exploring and relaxing.
The second excursion we had planed on that day was the Castelo Visconteo, a medieval castel hosting the archeology museum. On such a hot day it was nice visiting a castle, made of stones keeping us cool. An enjoyable cultural stop!
But as soon as we left the castle, it was too hot again, so we took the road to Ascona and went back to the same beach. Another relaxing evening before coming back to the flat, strolling around the village and taking in all the view, and finally enjoying a pizza before falling asleep.
Our last day could not be too full, since we had to take the road to go back home. But even though we still wanted to leave early, we had planed an outdoor visit, a little bit further out in the mountain, the Valle Verzasca. We could not miss this natural treasure, a pearl of the Ticino region. So we took another sinuous and scary road, and arrived to this amazing spot, where the water was crystal clear, rolling in-between massive stones, in the shade of majestic trees. It was a nice stop, a peaceful moment when we could just enjoy mountain's fresh air, and simply the beauty of nature. As sacred as Madonna del Sasso, even.
The rest of the day was spent on another beach, making the most of the Lake Major before we had to leave. The road back home was not the same as the one we took to come, and we had the opportunity to see Luzern and Interlaken, two other beautiful Swiss towns, once we had existed the impressive Mount Gothard's tunnel. A nice journey going back home, that made it a little less sad.
Four days was a short time, but those holidays were very relaxing and different from our place. You see, sometimes the perfect holiday is just next door.
Amy
That first day, nothing particular was planed. We just wandered around town, trying to see as much as possible, getting lost in its small streets, stumbling upon cute shops and beautiful houses, hidden in mesmerizing and flourishing gardens. We also took a long walk along the lake, discovering this landscape, a different one that along the Leman Lake. As I always say, to get lost and wander around is always the best way to discover a new place.
Day 2
For our second day in Ticino, we left Locarno, where we have spent half of the day before, and headed to the town next door, Ascona. To be honest, I think I loved this town even more than Locarno. It is just such a cute place, a real typical Swiss Italian town, along the lake. It perfectly fits the image we got when imagining an Italian fishermen's village, with its colorful houses facing the lake, its local market where only local products are sold, and obviously its boats and local shops, selling Swiss Italian traditional pastries and soaps. I fell in love with Ascona, and enjoyed strolling around its small streets, walking along the lake, between the blue waters and the yellow, pink, blue or green houses.However, on that day we did not limit ourselves to a walk around town, we took a boat to Isole Brissago, an adorable little island, reachable by boat in 10 minutes. On that island, we visited a rather exotic botanical garden, gathering plants from Asia, Australia, and obviously local ones. But this island is blessed with a Mediterranean climate, and we felt like we were way further than Ascona. It was a really enjoyable visit, a beautiful island that we loved to discover, yet it was a real battle, under the 40°C temperature and 3p.m sun, and when we went back to Ascona, we needed a little refreshment. So headed to the beach. Ascona's beach is just the best in this area. It is a sandy one, the water is clear and rather hot - 24°C for a lake is pretty good - and really agreeable with its trees and clean beach. We stayed there for the end of the day and evening, enjoying a dip in the Lake Major and a read on our beach towels. A day perfectly balancing exploring and relaxing.
Day 3
Four days is pretty short for a holiday, but when visiting such an area, pretty small, it is the perfect amount of time. For that third day we decided to stay in Locarno add a little bit of culture to our trip, and took the funicular to Madonna del Sasso, a sanctuary hung in the mountains above Locarno, dominating the whole lake. This little excursion was beautiful. Even with I was paralyzed by my fear of heights, I battled it as much as I could to be able to see this architectural achievement. It is not only remarkable because hung on the mountains, but also for how rich and luxurious the inside of the sanctuary is. Gold and paintings everywhere, a decor that spread a peculiar atmosphere, making me feel how special this place was. A must see.The second excursion we had planed on that day was the Castelo Visconteo, a medieval castel hosting the archeology museum. On such a hot day it was nice visiting a castle, made of stones keeping us cool. An enjoyable cultural stop!
But as soon as we left the castle, it was too hot again, so we took the road to Ascona and went back to the same beach. Another relaxing evening before coming back to the flat, strolling around the village and taking in all the view, and finally enjoying a pizza before falling asleep.
Day 4
Our last day could not be too full, since we had to take the road to go back home. But even though we still wanted to leave early, we had planed an outdoor visit, a little bit further out in the mountain, the Valle Verzasca. We could not miss this natural treasure, a pearl of the Ticino region. So we took another sinuous and scary road, and arrived to this amazing spot, where the water was crystal clear, rolling in-between massive stones, in the shade of majestic trees. It was a nice stop, a peaceful moment when we could just enjoy mountain's fresh air, and simply the beauty of nature. As sacred as Madonna del Sasso, even.The rest of the day was spent on another beach, making the most of the Lake Major before we had to leave. The road back home was not the same as the one we took to come, and we had the opportunity to see Luzern and Interlaken, two other beautiful Swiss towns, once we had existed the impressive Mount Gothard's tunnel. A nice journey going back home, that made it a little less sad.
Four days was a short time, but those holidays were very relaxing and different from our place. You see, sometimes the perfect holiday is just next door.
xo
Amy
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