GORGEOUS
T
w n
As picturesque as it is pricey,
the lakeside village of Morcote
nestles on the shore of Lake
Lugano. And its many pretty
pastel buildings reflect the
happy sunny climate here.
The four of us are more than two hours by sturdy Swiss train south of
St. Moritz. Weary from several days of relentless conference sessions, the high altitude,
and too much rich food and drink, we are anxious to reach our lakeside hotel near Lugano
THE BEST LITTLE ITALY IN
for some fun and relaxation.
SWITZERLAND, TICINO
There’s been no way to relax so far. The scenery is simply too riveting as we
RIVALS THE CHARMS OF
sweep through verdant alpine valleys framed by snow-capped Alps, dotted with herds
of contented dairy cows and dozens of little Heidi-like villages. We are literally on the
TUSCANY. DAVE G. HOUSER edge of our seats. Until St. Gotthard Pass, that is, where we disappear into a tunnel which,
EXPLORES WHY THIS
since 1882, has provided the fastest and most reliable link between German-speaking
SOUTHERNMOST SWISS
Switzerland and the Italian-speaking region, Ticino.
After 10 minutes of darkness, we emerge into the sparkling light of Ticino. I
CANTON ATTRACTED EVEN almost say Tuscany because that’s much the way it looks and feels in this sunny and
THE ATTENTION OF THE
southernmost of Switzerland’s 26 cantons (the Swiss version of a county or province).
Consulting with Ticino Turismo, the canton’s convention and visitor bureau,
MILANESE DUKES BACK
we’ve laid some loose plans for a weekend in and around Lugano, the region’s largest
IN THE 11TH CENTURY
and most beautifully situated city. Strung around the Bay of Lugano between two
mountains, Monte Brè and Monte San Salvatore, the city has been compared in grandeur
DESTINATIONS
to Rio de Janeiro. Rio, however, is not what we are looking for and so we have chosen
PHOTOGRAPHY DAVE G. HOUSER to stay in the chic lakeside village of Morcote, some 15 minutes south of Lugano.
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