Places to Visit in Locarno | Locarno Travel Guide
Switzerland is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Although it generally attracts tourists with its cold climate, winter holidays and mountains, Switzerland actually has a small but warm city with a Mediterranean climate and Italian beauty: Locarno!
Locarno is the town with the warmest climate in Switzerland. October was almost over when we visited Locarno and it was raining. Despite the bad weather, we felt as if we had come to a summer town in Italy. You feel like you are in Italy rather than Switzerland, as the city is only 13 km away from Italy.
You can find answers to questions such as what are the places to visit in Locarno, where to stay in Locarno, where to eat in Locarno, how to get to Locarno in this article.
Brief Information About Locarno
- Locarno is located in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. The official language of Locarno is Italian.
- The city hosts the Locarno International Film Festival every August, which includes open-air screenings on the main square, Piazza Grande.
- It’s said that the Locarno castle may have been built by Leonardo Da Vinci. (claimed by Italian historian Marino Vigano)
- Locarno was once territory belonging to the Roman Empire.
- It is one of the warmest towns in Switzerland.
- Locarno cuisine, architecture and lifestyle have been influenced by its Italian neighbors to the south.
- Although only one fourth of Lake Maggiore, on which the city is built, belongs to Switzerland, this lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in Switzerland with its unique view.
Where Is Locarno, Switzerland?
Locarno is located in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, south of Switzerland. Located on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore at the foot of the Alps, Locarno is just 13 km from Italy. As part of Lake Maggiore is located in Switzerland and the rest in Italy, it’s the common lake of both countries.
How to Get to Locarno? Locarno Transportation
Getting to Locarno is very easy. If you are traveling within Switzerland, you can reach Locarno by high-speed train.
The distance between Zurich and Locarno is about 200 km. You can easily cross from Italy to Locarno. Since you will already be traveling in Europe with your Schengen visa, you can enter from neighboring countries without any problems.
Getting by car
If you want to travel by car and if you are coming from the northern side of Switzerland, you have to cross the Gotthard Tunnel. You enter the tunnel by car through the town of Göschenen in the German canton of Uri, and exit through the town of Airolo in the Italian canton of Ticino. Thanks to this 16.9 km long tunnel, the road between the south and north of Switzerland is shortened by half an hour. Before the tunnel was built, it was necessary to go over the mountains through the Gotthard Pass.
However, as this tunnel can shorten the journey, it can also make it longer. On crowded days, you may encounter terrible traffic and be stuck on the road for hours. If you try to go in the direction of Italy on Friday evenings and in the direction of Switzerland on Sundays, you will be stuck in traffic. It’s a good idea to stay away from the Gotthard tunnel on the weekend.
When you arrive in Locarno, you can park your car at Parcheggio Centro Castello. If you can’t find a place, there are many parking spaces nearby. You can find the prices here.
Getting by train
You can buy your train tickets here. If you buy tickets in advance (even 1 day before), you have the chance to get discounted tickets from this site. Otherwise, you can purchase your tickets directly from the ticket machines at any train station or from the SBB offices.
If you are coming from the direction of Zurich, you may usually need to transfer in Bellinzona. The journey takes an average of 2 hours.
If you are coming from Italy, for example from Milan, you can still get your ticket from the website of SBB, from the link I shared above. It takes 2 hours 45 minutes from Milan to Locarno.
Public Transportation within the Canton of Ticino
When you stay in Canton Ticino, they will give you a Ticino ticket valid for the duration of your stay. With this ticket you can use all public transports in Ticino free of charge. If your hotel forgets to give you your free transportation ticket, be sure to remind them, get your transportation ticket from your hotel.
Places To Visit In Locarno: 9 Places You Must Visit In Locarno
1- Lungolago di Locarno
Locarno is a beautiful city where you can just sit on a bench and watch the lake and mountains. So just as you get off the train or park your car, go to the lakeside “Lungalago di Lorcarno” and walk along the beach, then sit on a bench and watch the view.
In addition to walking on this palm tree-lined coast, you can swim in the beaches or in the pools at the lakeside facilities.
2- Old Town – Piazza Grande
After completing your tour on the lake, head straight up to the old town. You will find the city square Piazza Grande which is surrounded by perfectly restored 19th-century buildings. You can also visit an open-air market, which has been a tradition since 1164 and is held every Thursday.
Also, as I mentioned before, when the International Film Festival is held in this square every August, the square turns into a complete open-air cinema. You can go to Locarno in August just to attend this festival.
3- Madonna del Sasso
Now let’s talk about the most interesting part of Locarno. According to legend, this place of worship on the Locarno rocks was opened upon the appearance of the Virgin Mary to Bartolomeo, one of the monks of the Locarno monastery. The temple is also one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations.
To get to this church, which is located at an altitude of 370 m above sea level, you have to climb a path with stairs that will take about 20 minutes.
Along the way, there are chapels representing the breaks Jesus took while walking with the cross on his back. You should definitely go on foot because the scenery is excellent along the way. And it’s interesting because it’s a path where pilgrims walk.
However, if you don’t want to walk, you have the option of the funicular here.
Church opening hours: 07.00 – 18.30 Funicular times: It departs every 15 minutes between 08.05 – 19.35. Ticket prices are 7.20 francs round trip and 4.80 francs one way. You can check current prices here.
When you reach the top, incredible views will be waiting for you.
You can also see important works of art, sculptures and paintings behind the church.
4- Visconteo Castle Archaeological Museum
In January 2004, Italian historian Marino Vigano said that this castle may have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci. And it was accepted as a Da Vinci project after 7 years of work.
Castello Visconteo, now an archaeological museum, is located right next to the old town. Today, only one-fifth of the original building from the 15th and 16th centuries remains, the rest has been rebuilt.
Tickets are only CHF 10 and entry times are as follows:
Tuesday-Sunday 10: 00-12: 00 14: 00-17: 00
5- Camellia Park
In these charming gardens by the lake, you can stroll among the camellia flowers in spring. The park is home to 850 kinds of flowers.
The park consists of a series of sections like a labyrinth, and you can take a meditative walk with the sounds of birds and the waves of the lake while walking around the park. Entry is free.
Opening Hours;
1 March – 30 September: 09:00 – 18:00 1 October – 28 February: 09:00 – 16:45
6- Verzasca Valley
The Verzasca Valley has wide trails of about 300 km. You can take a walk in the lake, participate in the activities on the sports tracks, and take mountain walks.
If you are an adrenaline junkie, you can do bungee jumping. Just like James Bond did in the opening scene of Golden Eye. From a height of 220 meters, you can jump between the narrow rocky walls of the mouth of the Verzasca Valley. (I can’t even dream of it haha)
You need to spend a full day in this place. If you don’t have that much time, you can tour Locarno early in the morning and move on to the Verzasca Valley before noon.
7- Moon and Stars Music Festival
If you have your trip in July, a magnificent music festival will welcome you. Moons and Stars Festival is not only the biggest festival in the Southern Alps but also the most atmospheric! The city square is turned into a concert venue and world-famous artists come to this festival.
8- Lake Maggiore Boat Tours
You can take a boat to the villages, ports and cities on the other side of Lake Maggiore.
Here you can find both price and trip information.
9- Small Tourist Train
The easiest and most enjoyable way to see the city’s highlights can be this small tourist train that tours Locarno and Ascona. During the tour, you can listen to the history of the city. For this 30-minute journey, you need to buy the tickets when you get on the train. Tours run from March 19 to October 24, with the first tour starting at 11 am.
Departure from Locarno: Departure from the touristic port, 2 minutes from the train station.
When to Visit Locarno
In Locarno, which has 2,300 hours of sunshine a year, southern plants such as palm trees and lemon trees grow and this adds a great beauty to the city. In order to visit the city with plenty of sun and enjoy the Mediterranean climate, it’s better choose summer.
You can enjoy the Mediterranean atmosphere of this city, which is influenced by Italy in every sense, by planning your trip between June and October.
Where to Stay in Locarno? Locarno Accommodation
Hotels
Hotel prices in Locarno are quite high. Accommodation in the most reasonable hotel starts from CHF 150 per night. You can check the hotels here.
Hostels
Average one night price for mixed rooms is CHF 50-60. It can be a good alternative if you are a group friends. You can also make many friends if you are traveling alone. You can find the hostel list here.
Camping Area
Locarno has an area where you can camp. Prices vary between 45-60 francs per night. The link is here.
Bed & Breakfast
Stefano and I usually prefer Bed & Breakfast because it has a more cozy atmosphere generally. B&B prices in Locarno vary between 60-90 Francs. You can find the list here.
Mountain Huts
If you want to sleep in the beautiful mountain air and spend a day in touch with nature, the mountain huts here are just for you!
Where to Eat in Locarno? Restaurants in Locarno
I am sharing the restaurants we’ve chosen for you below. You can access their location and information by clicking on them.
As a special recommendation I would like to recommend L’Archetto. It’s a tiny take away style place, but they have incredibly delicious pizzas. These Roman style pizzas are called “pinsa romana”.
Locarno Webcam
From here you can watch Locarno and see the weather forecast live before you go.
Click here to read about the weekend we spent in Locarno. You can check Ascona travel guide here!
You can find travel articles about Switzerland here!
What did you do or plan to do in Locarno? Are there any other places that you think must be seen? Let’s meet in the comments!
