Came here at the recommendation of a friend living in Zurich. Such a wonderful experience. The…read moresmall island is a short boat ride from Locarno (also a short boat ride from Ascona). Entrance fee was small (about 8CHF). But wow, what a view! And the flowers! Heavenly. The smell of Jasmine was everywhere. Loved the flowers from around the globe, the Roman "bath" and the Bamboo garden. Very easy to spend an entire day here. A must visit, especially if you like nature, flowers, spectacular views, and the outdoors.

Along the twisting mountain road leading to the historic Furka pass you'll find the location where…read moreJames Bond's Aston Martin shredded the tires of Tilly Masterson's Ford Mustang. Beautiful scenery and a perfect route to take for a day excursion when you are in Andermatt.

Our favorite activity while in Zermatt. We arrived via the loop trail (Blatten via Gorner Gorge)…read morewhich put us entering from the far end. This direction of travel through made our trip all down stairs. If you enter the other way (from the entrance where you pay (5.50 each), you'll be going up a bit of short, steep stairs. Either way you choose to go the gorge is amazing. We started the trail in the morning and never met anyone until we entered the gorge, still only meeting 2 people while down in it. Highly recommend! And if you fancy a bit more of a hike we found that loop trail to be great beginning to end.

B o n g i o r n o... What a quant little Palazzo located next to Lake Como. Palazzo means square…read more Walk around on the ancient cobblestone streets to the many shops, eateries and churches. Plenty of Gelaterias for the ice cream addicts like myself. All though, it's a little hard to tell where one Palazzo ends and the other one starts, it's all one beautiful village.

The name Villa Olmo is derived from a magnificent hundred-year-old elm that no longer exists. It…read morewas built in the neoclassical style on the commission of Marquis Innocenzo Odescalchi, from the family line of Pope Innocent XI (1676-1689). The construction of the Villa started in 1782 and finished in 1797. The director of the construction was Simone Cantoni, an eminent architect from Ticino who developed the original project drafted by Innocenzo Ragazzoni also from Ticino. Cantoni collaborated with Domenico, Carlo, Luca and Giuseppe Pozzi and the sculptor Francesco Carabelli. The Villa played host to a number of famous visitors, among the illustrious guests being Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797 and Ugo Foscolo in 1809. Upon the death of Innocenzo Odescalchi in 1824, the villa passed to the Raimondi family who took it upon themselves to put the large piazza opposite the villa in order. Once again the villa was witness to historical visits and meetings; in 1835, the Queen of the Two Sicilies and the Queen of Sardinia were guests of the Raimondis. In 1883, the heirs of Marquis Raimondi sold the villa to Duke Guido Visconti di Modrone who decided to carry out a programme of restoration and improvement which would include the interior of the building. In 1924, the villa passed from the Visconti di Modrone to the city of Como. Thus began the fourth period in its history under the banner of Art and Science. On the centenary of Alessandro Volta's death in 1927, the villa hosted numerous local events, congresses, conventions, symposia and shows. Since 1982 it has been the home of the Alessandro Volta Centre of Scientific Culture and hosts many international events.

This villa would be better is a more boring place, but the lake outside is so much better that's…read moreit's probably not worth coming here unless you have time to burn. This was the least impressive attraction I saw here, but it's free.

This seems the same listing but with different name for the Como Cathedral. The duomo in Como is…read moredefinitely worth visiting, which is usually referred as the last cathedral built in Italy. It's very beautiful and spectacular both outside and inside, and it's the most impressive church in this area. I'd certainly recommend visiting here.

Yelp Review 2026 #145:…read more The train ride via Gonergrat Rail from Zermatt to Gonergrat takes about 35 minutes with 5-6 stops. It's 3089-3131 meters high offering the best view of Matterhorn. Each stop has its pros and cons. Our first stop was the viewing platform to see Matterhorn. I got to see a local bird (Alpine Chough) up close that's not afraid of people at all. This place has a hotel, 2 restaurants, a big gift shop, Golden Spot Photopoint, a chapel, and Zooom Interactive Exhibition. You can easily spend 1.5 hours or more here. I spent a lot of time in Zooom. It's an indoor space with lots of information about Matterhorn - from the flora and fauna, first one to climb to the peak, elevation comparison of the most famous mountains, constellations easily seen from Gornergrat. There's a cinema that shows Matterhorn in different weather conditions. There's a VR paragliding that allows you to feel like you're circling around the mountain. A periscope that shows you how rescuers/ mountaineers search and rescue climbers that get stuck in Matterhorn. I checked out different parts of Gornergrat. The chapel is small. The gift shop was crowded with long lines at the cashier so, I ended up not getting anything. The photopoint is just that. But Zooom was definitely my favorite part.

Learn from our mistakes! Check the weather in advance before committing. Also avoid the first train…read moreat 7am unless you are okay with waiting or walking around for an hour until places start opening around 9. It took us only about 30-45 minutes to walk around the viewpoints outside. The days leading up to our visit, it showed partially sunny weather, but the morning of, the weather showed rain. However we'd already gotten the tickets, so we went but couldn't see any of the mountain peaks due to the clouds. It was cold, windy, and there was some hail, and nothing was open. Unfortunate, but I'm sure it would have been an amazing experience another time. The train ride was smooth, and the staff were gruff but helpful.

Been here many times. The last time together with my students. It's right in the heart of…read moreBellinzona and can't be missed. You either can walk right up or take the elevator from the piazza on the bottom where you will also find a Migros in case you need some groceries for a picnic. The Castelgrande is the oldest and largest of Bellinzona's three iconic castles, earning UNESCO World Heritage status for its spectacular medieval fortifications. Perched on a rocky hill settled since the Neolithic era, the fortress was heavily expanded by the Dukes of Milan in the 13th to 15th centuries to control strategic Alpine trade routes. Its striking skyline is dominated by two massive medieval structures: the 27-meter White Tower and the 28-meter Black Tower. Today, the site features a masterful modern restoration by architect Aurelio Galfetti, housing an archaeological museum and a panoramic elevator carved directly into the bedrock. You really get some nice views from up here. You can walk some of the walls and climb a tower. All free of charge. Only the small museum has a fee. There's a big lawn to picnic right in center and another huge area just on the other side of the wall including some picnic tables. The day we went the Giro d'Italia was in town. Lots of things going on. Including some live medieval music right here on top. Something you won't see every day. It's a great place to take in some history or just to enjoy the views. The best views of the Castelgrande itself you will get from the Castel Montebello. That one is only a short walk away from here and shouldn't be missed as well.

Can't believe I'm the first to review Castelgrande in Bellinzona This was probably my fourth visit…read moreand it was just as lovely as the first. Although, I must admit that I especially enjoy it in October when the leaves are changing, the temperature has dropped and the tourists are nowhere to be found. Tip: grab a pastry or drink from Migros at the base of the castle and bring it up with you for a picnics with a view. My fondest memory from Castelgrande was sitting on the top overlooking the mountains eating a rhubarb tart with my mom. A few fun facts about Bellinzona's treasure: -it's free to visit (fee for the museum) - received unesco heritage site status in 2000 for cultural significance -there's an elevator to the top helping this spot serve everyone -there are plenty of steps to be had if you're hoping to go to the "top top"