Strolling Through Lugano, Switzerland

My family home is in Como, Italy which sits right on the border of Switzerland. Growing up we would always cross over for day trips to Lugano to enjoy some shopping and chocolate.

Lugano is in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland, in the gorgeous canton of Ticino. Ticino’s lush, mountainous lake isn’t its only liquid asset. The largest city in the canton is also the country’s third-most-important banking centre ( get it? liquid asset?). But it won't be a sea of navy suits and briefcases, Lugano is a lively and quite posh city, with designer boutiques EVERYWHERE. Cobble stones streets and promenades add to its class and beauty.

Honestly we never do much when we come to Lugano because just walking around the waterfront of the Old Town is enough! There are lovely shops, restaurants and bars to pop into for coffee (wine for me) and a bite. Hopefully one day I'll be one of the women browsing and swiping in Prada, Hermes and the countless other boutiques on the aligning streets and alleyway. This place definintly took a page out of Italys book, with winding streets and grottos serving spaghetti everywhere you look.

If you don't have a car you can take the train from the Como San Giovanni Railway Station to Lugano.

If you're still not sold...James Bond was filmed here quite a few times. The most elegant city for crime fighting's most elegant man.

Lake Lugano

Most people probably don’t conjure up a photo like this when you mention Switzerland. They usually think snowcaps and ski boots...but this is in fact, Switzerland!

In my happy place

By far the main attraction of Lugano is its beautiful, eponymous lake, which measures 50 square kilometres in size.

We can never pass a church without my auntie having to go in for a cheeky prayer

My nonna is deeply religious so we always have to pop in for a cheeky prayer or church service. The Cathedral of Saint Lawrence is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Lugano and so beautiful inside. Situated directly across from the main train station. We like to put our churches and cathedrals by train station so they are impossible to miss. Call it good ole catholic bullying.

Yes Swiss Chocolate is better in Switzerland

Late lunch before driving back home to Italy