Car Hire Locarno - Mini guide to Locarno
Basking on the shore of Lake Maggiore near the Italian border, Locarno is an important Swiss resort town with a mellow Mediterranean climate and lakeside flora. With great shopping and sightseeing opportunities, it is a convenient base from which to explore the Alpine surroundings.
The most important sight in Locarno, accessible by foot or funicular, is the Santuario Della Madonna Del Sasso, perched on a wooded crag 350m above the resort in the hamlet of Orselina. Founded in 1480, the basilica contains much artwork, including Bramantino's Flight into Egypt (1520). Masterpieces by artists such as Raphael hang in a museum next door to the basilica.
A typical walking tour of the town should start at the piazza Grande (main square) and lead through the maze of narrow streets to the old town. The 15th century Castle Visconti houses the Town and Archaeological Museum, displaying many Roman artefacts excavated in the area; while the nearby Pinacoteca Casa Rusca Museum displays contemporary works of art.
The piazza Grande is riddled with boutiques selling everything from antiques and art to Swiss and Italian handicrafts, as well as high fashion clothing from Milan. If a stroll along the lakefront or hotel entertainment isn’t of interest, you can head to nearby Lugano for livelier nightlife.
There are many other quaint villages in this area offering spectacular scenery, peaceful lakes, stone churches and wine tasting. Among them are Ascona, Morcote, Gandria and, across the border in Italy, Como, Luino and Campione. Alternatively, drive along the scenic Lake Maggiore waterfront or take a boat ride to Isole di Brissago.
Locarno is a two-hour drive down the A4 and A2 highways from Zurich, or an hour up the A2 from Milan. Direct trains from Lausanne or Bern take four hours to reach Locarno. The nearest airport is at Lugano, 45 minutes away by train.
