Unruffled Lugano (Switzerland)

November 2012, I went to Lugano, which is Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, and it felt like I was in Italy, as everybody spoke Italian, all the shops, restaurants, buildings, street names, menu in restaurants and cafes were written in Italian and so on... but still I had cultural shock, in good sense though. I was amazed by the atmosphere and people in Lugano, there was some kind of unreal tranquility and serenity, peacefulness and imperturbability, it seemed another world, not just another country:) even if you did not see police anywhere, there was a feeling of absolute security. I don't know if it is true, but they say that in Lugano the children study 4 foreign languages as obligatory in schools, and they have the whole school program on their ipads... as I said - a different world))

It appeared that nothing is open on Sunday, even the restaurants in the evening were almost all closed, there were very few people, all of them walking along the embankment. Instead from Monday the city becomes alive, you can see a lot of people in the streets, mostly businessmen and pensioners. If you go in Grand Cafe al Porto, you can hear women speaking of shopping and vacations, and how to spend more money, and men speaking of investments and how to earn more money:) 

Even if it seemed that Switzerland was not touched by the global crisis, talking to the participants of The Fund Forum, I understood that it was not at all so, as also here in Lugano the companies, offices and banks recently had to cut costs, personnel, salaries and expenses... Another surprise was to know the prices for real estate, a simple apartment far from the lake would cost 700,000 euro, the apartment with lake view would cost around a million euro, the rent rate of the same apartment far from the centre and the lake would be around 1,500 euro a month, this is the minimum price, and it is not even Zurich or Geneva:) Surely, Switzerland is known for high salaries, but everyday life expenses are also very high here, the prices for all goods were more expensive here, beginning from the food products to clothes, from the jewelries and cosmetics to real estate... 

A special word about the service, wherever you go in Lugano, they treat you like you are from the Royal family:) absolute availability and desire to be helpful... I stayed in the Continental Parkhotel, it is two-minute walk from the railway station, but don't worry, no noises heard in the hotel room, the staff is very supportive, the breakfast is really varied and assorted in the room with great view also. I guess in summer this hotel is even more interesting, as there is a swimming pool and a park. My room was spacious and warm, clean and very cozy, there was a small balcony with a table and a couple of chairs, the view is fantastic... I made a little video with telephone:)

Speaking of the view, the landscape of Lugano is terrific, the huge lake (which maximum depth point is 279 m) with hills and mountains around, with a lot of green areas, the whole scenery of the city is magnificent. It is great to have a long walk along the lakeshore promenade to the Ciani Park and the Belvedere Garden. Lugano is perfect for hiking and mount-biking. Here you can see the list of all the things to do in Lugano - lugano-tourism.