Locarno - The Film Festival City
With the neighboring town Ascona controls Locarno the Swiss part of Lake Maggiore in the Canton of Ticino, situated on the delta of the river Maggia. The enchanting scenery with the mildest climate attracts guests from everywhere since the 19-century. That is no surprise because the city enjoys about 2300 hours of sunshine every year. The "Lady of the Camellias" lures visitors with its Mediterranean climate and sub-tropical vegetation. Often mimosas, camellias and magnolias begin to bloom as early as February. Or watch people walking around the busy Piazza Grande while you sip a cup of cafe latte. On the Piazza Grande, that is really where people meet, especially during the summer months. That's when open-air concerts are held and for eleven days in August, the famous International Film Festival takes place there as well. Madonna del Sasso, a famous pilgrimage church is located in Orselina just above Locarno. It dates back to a vision of the Virgin Mary which appeared to a Franciscan monk during the feast of the Assumption in the night of 14/15th August 1480. From Orselina, you have access by cable car to the top of Cardada at an elevation of 1340 m (4,396 ft). Than a chair lift continues further up to the summit of Cimetta 1676 m (5,498 ft) from where you will enjoy panoramic views over Locarno and the lake. 
Locarno developed quickly thanks to its location on the route of important Alpine passes. In the Middle Ages, Lombardi nobility families ruled and Locarno got wealthy through trades - especially with silk. In 1164, the Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa lended the city market rights for its trade. In the middle of the 14th-century, Visconti of Milan developed the Castello (castle) to a mighty fortress. Than later in 1513, the Castello was conquered through the Swiss confederates, but was destroyed for the most part a little later. This increased through the Reformation by the expulsion of the Protestants in 1515 with which the remunerative silk trade got lost to Zurich. A new impulse brought tourism at the end of the 19-century. Today many new buildings and modern villas are scattered into the mountain slope of Locarno. The attraction of the city also appears in the construction zeal - only Lugano and the nearby Ascona are going through something similar. 
When visiting the cities of Locarno or Lugano, you will notice that the mentality of the Ticino people is quite a bit different than the northern part of Switzerland. It is not just the Mediterranean climate but the people are more like the Italians, very temperamental. Place of Interest S. Vittore San Vittore is located east of the train station in the town part of Muralto. It is the oldest church of this city and the most significant Romanesque church of the Canton of Ticino. Construction builders from Lombardy of Northern Italy established S. Vittore between 1090 and 1110. In later times numerous construction elements were added. Like the bell tower dating back from the 16th-century where a porch at the entrance served as baptistery and the sacristy on the eastern side. Madonna del Sasso Just above Locarno is the church S. Maria Assunta, also called Madonna del Sasso. You reach the church with the funicular railway from "Via alla Romogna", by car and on foot on the cross way "Via Crucis" or the "Sentiero dell Valle". The church was built at the end of the 16th/beginning of the 17th-century with the neighboring convent. The west facade with its five curved portico originated only from the end of the 19th-century. The inside is decorated overabundant with stucco and with frescoes. The most valuable treasure is the escape to Egypt of Bramantino in the southern aisle. The expressive interment of Christ painted Antonio Ciseri from Ronco in a side chapel in 1870. You will enjoy a magnificent view over Locarno and Lago Maggiore from the lateral arcade gallery of the church and from the terrace. Piazza Grande The center of the city is the long-stretched Piazza Grande, whose north side is formed of elegant arcade houses in the lombardi style from the 19-century. Behind rises the "Torre del Comune" constructed in the 14th-century. Each Thursdays morning, the traditional city market takes place there. To the west of the "Piazza" is situated the Old Town with picturesque lanes and stately patrician's houses from the 16th- and 17th-centuries. Castello Visconteo The castle of Visconteo that marks the south-west corner of the Old Town is the rest of a left over much larger building. After the dukes of Milan had defeated the local nobility families Orelli, Muralti and Magoria in 1432, they provided on the place of the Orelli fortress (13th-century) a castle "Castrum Fortissimum", which was extended later by the feudal Rusca lords. The castle was seat of the landvogts until 1798. Today, it accommodates also the city- and the archaeological museum. Emphasized are the "arcade court", the "Renaissance loggia" and the fresco in the stair hallway (showing Giovanni Rusca and his mother around 1490) and the hand-carved wooden high ceilings. Exhibited are many local findings of the Bronze Age until the Middle Ages, Roman glasses, sculptures from the church of S. Vittore in Muralto, art craft as well as a documentation from the Locarno pact. In the 16th-century, the "Casorella", one of the nicest patrician's houses of the city was added. The museum is open from April - October, Tue. Sun. 10:00 - 17:00. Cardada From the church of Madonna del Sasso leads a cable car in ten minutes up to Cardada at an altitude of 1350 m (4,429 ft). The gondolas and the stations were designed from famous Swiss architect Mario Botta. From Cardada, you can continue with a chair lift (by foot about one hour) up to the Cimetta 1,676 m (5,498 ft) to reach this well developed ski area. A great panorama repays for the climb from the Cimetta up to the top "Cima della Trosa" 1,871 m (6,138 ft). Verzasca & Maggia Valleys Verzasca & Maggia are two romantic and largely unspoiled valleys in Locarno's hinterland. From Tenero (four km east of Locarno) leads the steep road up the Verzasca valley. On your way, you pass the 380 m (1,246 ft) long wall of a dam from which "James Bond" in the movie "Golden Eye" jumped from the 220 m (721 ft) high wall. The road continues along the 6 km (4 miles) long lake to the village Pioda. Further up above the lake lie on a steep slope two picturesque villages, Vogorno and Corippo. The Maggia valley is the gigantic of all the valleys close to Locarno. The "Vallemaggia" as it is called in Italian extends 50 km (30 miles) from Ponte Brolla 254 m (833 ft) to the 3,274 m (10,741 ft) high Basodino summit. The gate to the Maggia valley is Ponte Brolla where the Maggia River has cut a deep, narrow gorge into the rocks. The prettiest view is from the 33 m high Roman bridge on your way up the valley. Worth to see in the small village of Gordevio is the church SS. Giacomo e Filippo from 1334, which received her luxury baroque in the 17th-century. The church painting comes largely from G.A. Vanoni (1810 - 1886), an artist that descended from Aurigeno and decorated many churches and houses in the Ticino area. The main village in the valley is called Cevio where you can admire the "museo di Valmaggia" located at the Palazzo Franzoni built in the 17-century. The Best Locarno Restaurants Centenario There is often a full house at the restaurant Centenario on the lake promenade by the family Perriards. And nevertheless, the friendly service of Heidi Perriards and her young team functioned perfectly. Osteria Dell'Enoteca There are no wear out appearances with the long-standing team, neither with the owner Hansueli Kellenberger nor with gourmet chef Daniel Zürcher and patissier Hermann Greissinger. This already was proven to us with the appetizer. We had been served green broccoli and whitish cauliflower foam in a mini champagne glass, everything only a little spicy but full in its own taste. Everything that was served on our plates was fresh and tuned seasonally and we also could count on the wine recommendations. Also the service was what we had expected. Locanda Barbarossa The Locanda Barbarossa is located in a dream hotel, the Castello del Sole in Ascona very close to Locarno. The hotel is in the middle of a 14 hectare property with very old trees directly on the lake. The fruits, vegetables, herbs, poultry, rice and of course the local Merlot wine is growing on its own farm near the hotel. In the region, it is at the moment the measure of all things. La Brezza, Bar & Lounge Gourmet chef Rolf Krapf and his brigade expanded a little bit the menu card which corresponds to such a famous hotel like the Eden Roc. With Salvatore Frequente has come a very talented "sous-chef" to the team who brings even more Italianitą on the plates. A six course menu on the great lake terrace costs 114 Swiss francs. This is at the sight of achievement and location a friendly offer. Restaurant Delta If you are not staying in the Parkhotel Delta but only come for dinner, it probably feels a little strange at first. However, that all changed when Chef de Service Giuseppe Lelppo appeared. The last time we visited there, the food wasn't as tasty. Maybe it had to do that the restaurant management already change twice in a short time. Good luck to the new management! Deluxe Locarno Hotels Castello del Sole The Castello de Sole in Ascona reminds one to a monastery and is not a place for guests in a hurry but for relaxation in great style. It is one of the biggest hotel parks in Switzerland and directly on Lago Maggiore. The Atrium Construction with 13 luxury suites with its own staff and the inner court with rose gardens bring the guests to dreams. Find out more about the Castello del Sole on Lago Maggiore. Eden Roc Hotel The Eden Roc Hotel with its legendary service and personalized attention is located on the shores of Lago Maggiore. It has its own private beach, marina and a wonderful palm garden close to the charming Piazza in Ascona. You will notice the Mediterranean charm of the deluxe rooms and suites with breathtaking views to the lake and the mountains. The Swiss Bilanz Hotel Guide rated it 2006 as the second best Luxury Hotel resort in Switzerland. For a review on the Eden Roc Hotel in Ascona click here. Albergo Giardino Just few days in the Albergo Giardino and the world looks completely different again. In the theatrically produced country house with the exotic smelling magic garden, you can get into an almost too comfortable state. However, you can also be motivated from the communicative basic mood and close new acquaintances. The hosts, Philippe and Daniela Frutiger understand the "hotellerie" not as an accommodation industry, but as an entertainment business. A romantic Mediterranean ambience is guaranteed. Parkhotel Delta This holiday- and family hotel lies in a semitropical park with many sport possibilities and emits a typical generosity quite common in the Canton of Ticino. Children as well as adults come to the Parkhotel Delta fully at their expense and lose fast the interest to leave the extensive arrangement or to look at the rich regional country attractions. Return from Locarno to Swiss Cities Return from Locarno to High-End-Travel-Switzerland Home Page
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Once you are on location, head down through the narrow alleys of the Cittą Vecchia, the Old Town, and just admire the bright flower displays in the city parks. 
The decline of the city began 1512 through a landslide at the village Biasca. Later in 1515, the flood of the lower Ticino valley made the most important Alpine passes inaccessible. 