Autumn in Lugano

Lugano and the first days of autumn. Lugano, like a picture painted by some kind of great Master.
Lugano, with the rain and the sun, came into my heart. On tiptoe, like a ballerina on the sweet and graceful notes of "Swan Lake".
The city of parks and flower gardens, villas and religious buildings, alpine current and famous chocolate, squares and arcades of the Mediterranean charm of the city center.
A town on a human scale, where getting lost in the streets of the old town, with its many buildings in Lombard style and its exclusive museums, such as the LAC, the cultural center devoted to artistic production and the meeting between the various arts. But Lugano is also the largest city in the Ticino region, as well as being the third largest financial center and the center of conference, banking and business in Switzerland.
From the two closest mountains to Lugano, San Salvatore and Brè, you can admire the magnificent panorama over the city, the lake and surrounding mountains, where you can enjoy the sun of Ticino and daydreaming.
Every corner of the city is a discovery, from the roadside markets, among the luxury boutiques, where delight the palate with typical products or buy local crafts, to those most romantic spots, accessible by boats or cruises, where you can be enchanted by the beautiful landscapes that reveal precious pearls before enjoying great seafood, served in the various restaurants and grottos overlooking the shores of the lake.
Lugano is beauty, nature and marvel in a setting that recalls one of those "007" films. Lugano is a lakeside promenade, lined the Belvedere Gardens and numerous red benches ready to welcome sighs and hugs, to cherish kisses and thoughts, where losing the eyes and heart in such splendor. An invitation to rest, interior and mind tranquility and, yes, even love because, in the world, there is nothing more magical and romantic than a sunset by the lake.

Melià Campione: un week end da sogno

"Fly me to the moon..."
...Thus began, to the tune of Sinatra, my weekend at Melià Campione, 5-star hotel on the shores of Lake Lugano, at Campione d'Italia, shared the province of Como, near the Swiss canton of Ticino.
A romantic and elegant week end, between magic and dream. Actually it seemed to live in a movie, one of those beautiful that leaves you sighing for its entire duration, with dreamy eyes and smile on heart.
A luxury boutique hotel located near the Municipal Casino and a 10-minute drive from the city of Lugano. Beautifully decorated, with an innovative design and a friendly atmosphere. The rooms and elegant airy suites, designed and equipped to ensure maximum comfort with high quality materials in an elegant and contemporary style, surrounded by the Swiss Alps, offering a marvelous view of the Monte Brè or Lake Lugano. Soft chairs for relaxing after a day of work or a day discovering the beauties of the place, with a glass of sparkling wine or an espresso just made.
A small company, it is a boutique hotel, with an air of intimacy and privacy, just as the country where it is located, making it the ideal place for those who want to disconnect from the daily bustle without renouncing to the comforts that life can offer.
The à la carte restaurant offers an extensive range of Mediterranean and Italian dishes. Full and genuine flavors.
The hotel also has a meeting room for 20 people, fully set up and a Spa with sauna, turkish bath and relaxation area that will open shortly.
My weekend of Dolce Vita started with a delicious aperitif followed by an Italian lunch, still heated by warm rays of a sun at the end of September and pampered by the staff of Melià Campione. Strong and lovely flavors of the traditional cuisine of the beautiful country that blend with a wonderful view over the Swiss Alps: the perfect combination for a perfect lunch.
A visit to the village and a walk along the lake illuminated by the sun. Gulls flying here and there, colorful houses, flowers, ducklings and boats filled with tourists.
I strolled through the streets of the village until the evening, breathing the magic of the lake and marveling at every glimpse.
When the sun was preparing to set, coloring of pink, red and orange its sky, waiting for me a private boat on jetty. The finest hour for a romantic tour of the lake accompanied by Champagne and nibbles, enjoying the moment between smiles and chatter, sumptuous villas and the cool breeze caressing the face.
Then return to the hotel and sink into the white sheets, contemplating and enjoying the peace and quiet of the lake now illuminated by the lights of the evening, soak in a warm and relax bath with those same notes of Sinatra in the background...
"Fly me to the moon... Let me play among the stars... Let me see what spring is like..."
An hour later I was at the restaurant of the Casino to enjoy a glass of wine and a delicious dinner of fish, by candlelight, with live music.
After trying the luck and being caught again, on my return to the room, the staff attentions of Melià Campione, I let myself be lulled by the lake and then wake up the next morning, wearing a soft bathrobe, slightly the curtains to start my day with a breakfast with a view. And then... and then off to Lugano and its elegance, with the rain before and the sun after, it made me fall in love. A picture painted by some kind of wonderful brush.
Luxury boutiques, markets, gardens, buildings immersed in that first autumn air that gave it even more charming in my eyes... but I will tell you all these things in the next posts ;)
Melià Campione made me fly to the moon, play with the stars and experience the magic of a dream.