Lugano combines Lombard-style buildings, museums and cultural centres in the historic centre with a lakeside setting and mountains offering scenic views. A simple question can help you plan: would you like to devote most of your time to art and history, nature or outdoor activities? The city offers specific places to explore for each of these interests, without requiring you to follow a set itinerary.

Art, architecture and culture

The Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli is an important historical landmark. It houses Bernardino Luini’s work “Passion and Crucifixion” and is considered Switzerland’s most important Renaissance monument. LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura also has a clear cultural focus: this internationally oriented cultural centre is dedicated to the performing arts, music and visual arts. The Santa Maria degli Angeli 3D route adds an augmented-reality experience to this perspective and takes a little over 30 minutes. It starts at the LAC Book Shop and ends back at the LAC. If you plan to take this route, check the latest details beforehand.

The Museo d’Arte della Svizzera italiana, or MASI Lugano, was established in 2015 through the merger of the Museo Cantonale d’Arte and the Museo d’Arte di Lugano. Another place to see art is MUSEC, in the historic Villa Malpensata on the lakeshore. Its programme of exhibitions and events includes ethnic and Oriental art, photography, and modern and contemporary art. Highlights from the permanent collections are available free of charge in the Spazio Tesoro. As access and individual exhibitions may change, it is worth checking the latest information before your visit.

Those wishing to explore art in public spaces will find a significant group of works in the Parco delle sculture, created mainly after the mid-20th century by Swiss and international artists. The different highlights—from the Renaissance work in the church to the sculptures—offer various ways to explore Lugano’s art history.

Discover museums and nature

The Museo cantonale di storia naturale brings several themes together in its permanent exhibition. Large dioramas offer an overview of important animals and plants in Ticino. Other sections focus on rocks, minerals and fossils—including the famous reptiles of Monte San Giorgio—as well as fungi. Temporary exhibitions, courses, conferences and educational activities are aimed at children, schools and adults. If you are interested in nature, you can choose between the permanent exhibition and the changing programme.

Parco Ciani also combines green spaces with a range of things to discover: paths pass statues, fountains and flowerbeds, and there is also a large playground. Its subtropical flora and Mediterranean vegetation include palms, exotic shrubs, roses, azaleas, magnolias and camellias. At Lido di Lugano, visitors can enjoy a sandy beach, swimming pools in various shapes and sizes, and extensive green spaces. Parks, playgrounds, beaches and swimming pools offer various opportunities for outdoor activities in Lugano.

For nature watching beyond the city centre, consider the Sentiero naturalistico e archeologico di Gandria. Along the trail, 15 numbered stations guide visitors in observing distinctive environmental features. The trail can be walked around the lake and is rich in plant and animal species, some of them rare. It is accessible from Lugano by post bus or boat; check the current timetable before setting off.

Explore cultural activities and markets

If you would like to experience culture beyond exhibitions, events and educational programmes provide another way to discover the city. L’ideatorio offers interactive science exhibitions, an astronomical planetarium with four different shows, and a studio with creative activities. LAC edu organises hundreds of cultural education activities every year for people of all ages. The programmes at the Museo cantonale di storia naturale also include activities for different age groups. As individual activities may change, check the current programmes when planning a specific visit.

Weekly markets in the streets of Lugano’s city centre offer another glimpse of local life. They sell food, handicrafts and antiques. You can tailor your trip to your interests: art and culture, nature watching, outdoor activities or a stroll around a market. Lugano’s events calendar lists additional events.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Maglio Di Colla, Castagnola, Aldesago, Pregassona, Viganello, Bioggio, Taverne, Arogno.

For the main travel overview: Lugano.