Lugano is the largest town in the Canton of Ticino, part of the Italian-speaking region in the South of Switzerland. Lugano is not only Switzerland's third most important financial center, but also a town of lush parks, famous artists, historical villas and sacred buildings located in a wonderful gulf between Ceresio lake and surrounding mountains. With Mediterranean flair and anchored to Swiss traditions, Lugano offers the advantages of a world-class efficient city combined with the cachet of a small town.
Useful information
Currency
The monetary unit of Switzerland is the Swiss franc that may be divided into cents. Foreign currency and traveller’s cheques are exchanged in banks, at railroad station exchange offices (the main ones are open until 10.00 p.m.), in airports, in certain tourist offices and hotels.
Opening Hours
Shops are generally open from 8 or 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday (with an interval of one or two hours). On Saturdays they close at 4.00 p.m. or 5.00 p.m.. Supermarkets and department stores are open all day long and once a week they are open in the evening (only in certain periods). Banks are open from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. from Monday to Friday and are generally closed on Saturdays.
Passport and Visa
European citizens may enter Switzerland with a valid Identity Card or with an individual passport or with a recognition card issued to State employees or to their family, without any need of a visa for a stay of up to 30 days. For minors it is necessary to have an “identity certificate for minors under 15” with a photo, issued by the municipality and stamped by the police office; up to 16 years of age, it is possible to register children on the passport of one of the parents.
Information for requesting entry visas to Switzerland below:
www.schengenvisainfo.com
Please verify on time with your embassy the procedure to come to Switzerland and make sure there are not changes in the visa requests.
Shopping opening hours
Under the arcades of Via Nassa and in the town center you can find the best national and international brands and lavish shopping centers. On Tuesday and Friday a market is staged where you can meet both local and regional producers and, scattered throughout the area, artisan workshops and local gastronomic delights are not to be missed.
For further information, please check the link below were you can find a list of shopping boutique:
http://www.luganoturismo.ch/en/see-do/shopping
Car Rental
Given the limited parking in the city center, we encourage the use of public transportation.
At airports and in the major Swiss cities you will find all of the most important car rental companies.
Special rates are available at the Swiss Tourist Centre.
Tel. 00800 100 200 30
Fax 00800 100 200 31
www.europcar.ch
What to do
The city and the region of Lugano are a well-known hub of artistic activities between northern and southern Europe. Museums, monuments, art galleries and churches form Lugano's its rich heritage. Today, LAC, the new cultural center, is the heart of both local and cantonal art constantly offering a high-quality program of expositions and events.
With a volume of 180,000 m3 the imposing structure rises over the site of the former Palace hotel. The strong point of the LAC’s design is its proximity to the lake. The entrance hall (650 m2) which provides access to the theatre and concert hall is a huge window which makes the interface between interior and exterior almost invisible.
The Museo d’Arte della Svizzera italiana was born from the merging of the Museo Cantonale d’Arte with the Museo della Città. Comprising 5 floors, 2000 m2, it was designed to allow the art works themselves to be protagonists, to be a space for silence and contemplation. One floor contains the permanent collection, the other 1820 m2 are dedicated to temporary exhibitions.
This didactic and educational museum offers the possibility of discovering art, expressing emotions and creativity in an atelier by playing. Activities of Baby Art for children and their parents.
This unique children’s museum in Ticino offers a new multidisciplinary proposal (KidsArti) together with all the fascinating and amusing interactive shows devoted to art that have made it famous. Among its collaborations: La Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne and Centre Pompidou in Paris.
A space for learning and expressing emotions and creativity.
Swissminiatur is an open-air museum where one can admire the most important Swiss buildings and means of transportation.
You can find more information about other activities in the official website of Lugano Turismo at the following link: