Alprose chocolate factory, Caslano
On a western arm of Lake Lugano, the town of Caslano is the unlikely home of the
Alprose chocolate factory.
As you enter, you’re greeted, Willy Wonka-style, by a fountain bubbling with fragrant molten chocolate.
The museum comprises some old coin-op machines and nick-nacks, plus the chance to watch the mixing machines and production line conveyor belts in action.
The Mendrisiotto
South of Lake Lugano, main roads and trains shoot through the hot, dry region known as the Mendrisiotto.
After Mendrisio, the largest town in the area and a major wine-growing centre, there’s a palpable sense of being right on the threshold of the Alps.
At Chiasso, where Switzerland reaches an end, the countryside is gentle and rolling, flattening into the plains of northern Italy immediately beyond.
Sports and activities in Ticino
Adventure activities around Locarno
The area around Locarno offers excellent opportunities for adventure sports. Think canoeing. wakeboarding, waterskiing, canyoning, rafting, paragliding and biking.
Trekking Team runs what is perhaps the star attraction — the highest bungee-jump in the world, off the 220m-high Verzasca Dam. In high summer, you can jump by moonlight.
They also do bungee-jumps off the 70m Intragna railway bridge, as well as canyoning in the Centovalli, Val Onsernone, Val Verzasca, and Valle Maggia.
Walking around Locarno
The tourist office brochure Sentieri della Collina pinpoints the route of two pleasant walking paths on the hillside just above the town.
The Sentiera Collina Bassa is 5.4km long, and takes you from the Madonna del Sasso funicular east through Orselina and onto the Via Panoramica through the suburb of Brione before gently descending to the lakeshore in Tenero (1hr 40min).
The Sentiera Collina Alta runs for 6.3km from Monte Brè, the next hill west of Orselina, on a scenic, winding path through the foothills to Contra, and down to Tenero (2hr).
Swimming in Locarno
Locarno’s busy and extensive lido is 900m south of the train station. It features indoor and outdoor pools, a dedicated children’s pool, waterslides, fitness rooms, lawns and a small beach area beside the lake.
Into adventure sports? Read up on the best outdoor experiences in Switzerland.
Female travellers might also want to discover a host of women-only outdoor activities in Switzerland.