Dear Friends,

I went to Ticino for a conference. I left thinking about when I could return.

That’s usually how I measure a place—not by how much I saw, but by how long it lingers.

Ticino, Switzerland’s Italian-speaking region, sits at that quiet intersection of cultures where nothing feels forced. The food leans Italian, the infrastructure is unmistakably Swiss, and the lifestyle? Unhurried, elegant, and deeply satisfying. I had five nights here—more than most travelers give—and it still felt like an introduction.

What surprised me most is how under-the-radar it remains. Over a million travelers come to Ticino each year, yet it still feels like a secret—largely because nearly half of them are Swiss, quietly returning to a place they already know is special. While the world flocks to Lake Como just across the border, Ticino exists in that rare space: equally beautiful, far less crowded, and refreshingly unselfconscious.

I stayed at Hotel Splendide Royal Lugano, not just as a base, but as part of the experience. My balcony overlooked Lake Lugano, where mornings unfolded slowly and evenings stretched long past sunset. Right outside is a lakeside promenade along Lago di Lugano, where I found myself returning again and again—sometimes for a walk, sometimes for nothing at all.

And that’s the thing about Ticino. It doesn’t demand an agenda.

Of course, there are things to do. I wandered through Lugano on foot, letting the rhythm of the town guide me. I took the funicular up for a wider view, then came back down to street level, where life actually happens. I boarded a boat just across from my hotel and drifted past small villages that felt almost cinematic—like Cinque Terre, but quieter, more intimate. I got off in one of them, found a café, ordered a Hugo, and stayed longer than I planned.

Meals here are not events—they are habits. Plates of risotto, polenta, fresh lake fish, and handmade pasta. There's great gelato too! Simple, seasonal, and done well. It reminded me how satisfying food can be when it isn’t trying too hard.

In between, I stepped into spaces like LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, where contemporary culture meets lakeside calm, and made time for the Castles of Bellinzona—a reminder that this region once sat at the crossroads of power and trade.

One afternoon, I took a boat out to the Brissago Islands. Walking through Villa Emden’s gardens, surrounded by subtropical plants, I had to remind myself I was still in Switzerland.

And getting here? Easier than you’d think. Just an hour from Milan, or two hours by train from Zurich through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, one of the longest railway tunnels in the world. It feels remote—but it isn’t.

If you have the time, continue on to Ascona or Locarno. If you don’t, stay put. Ticino rewards stillness more than movement.

As a writer, I often think about what makes a destination worth recommending. Not just beautiful, not just popular—but meaningful. Ticino works because it gives you space. Space to walk, to eat, to sit, to notice.

And in a world where most trips are rushed, that might be the real luxury.

As always, if you’re looking to experience places like this in a more thoughtful, personalized way, we design journeys that go beyond the checklist.

Reach out—we’ll create something that fits how you like to travel.

Even if you are staying put, you can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram anytime.

— Sucheta