Must-see attractions in Locarno

  • Santuario della Madonna del Sasso

    Locarno

    Overlooking the town, this sanctuary was built after the Virgin Mary supposedly appeared in a vision to a monk, Bartolomeo d’Ivrea, in 1480. There’s a…

  • Castello Visconteo in Locarno, Switzerland.

    Castello Visconteo

    Locarno

    Named after the Visconti clan that long ruled Milan, this fortified 15th-century castle’s nucleus was raised around the 10th century. It now houses a…

  • Old Town

    Locarno

    You can feel just how close you are to Italy when exploring Locarno's hilly Città Vecchia (Old Town), an appealing jumble of piazzas, arcades, churches…

  • Piazza Grande

    Locarno

    Locarno’s Italianate Città Vecchia (Old Town) fans out from Piazza Grande, a photogenic ensemble of arcades and Lombard-style houses. A craft and fresh…

  • Parco Muralto

    Locarno

    Locarno’s climate is perfect for lolling about the lake. Bristling with palms and ablaze with flowers in spring and summer, these gardens are a scenic…

  • Chiesa di San Francesco

    Locarno

    Standing on the site of a 13th-century Franciscan monastery, the 16th-century Chiesa di San Francesco is adorned with frescoes by Baldassare Orelli. Note…

  • Pinacoteca Casa Rusca

    Locarno

    This gallery occupies a beautifully restored 18th-century townhouse, Casa Rusca. The permanent collection zooms in on 20th century paintings, sculpture…

  • Falconeria Locarno

    Locarno

    Time your visit to catch one of the impressive displays of falconry here – they take place at 11am in the morning and 3pm in the afternoon. Birds showing…

  • Chiesa Nuova

    Locarno

    Guarded by a giant bas-relief St Christopher with disproportionately tiny feet, the baroque-gone-mad, 17th-century Chiesa Nuova has cherubs and stucco…

  • Parco delle Camelie

    Locarno

    Wander among fragrant camellia blooms in spring at these pretty lakefront gardens. The park is home to 850 varieties.

  • Chiesa di Sant'Antonio

    Locarno

    Standing proud on a fountain-dotted square, this church is best known for its altar to the Cristo Morto (Dead Christ).