Camping in Ticino

A camping holiday with children in Ticino is ideal for guests of all ages. The canton on the southern side of the Alps in Italian-speaking Switzerland is a green hiking paradise in summer and a snowy area in winter, offering plenty of outdoor leisure activities. Idyllic lakes with small islands are dotted around Ticino and guarantee swimming fun for the whole family. Culture vultures will also find appealing sights in the picturesque towns of Bellinzona and Lugano.

Special features of camping in Ticino

Alpine sports enthusiasts love coming to the Swiss canton of Ticino in winter. There, snow hikers and skiers experience the impressive Gotthard massif as a challenge. Where four river sources converge, camping enthusiasts can find overnight accommodation at rustic mountain huts or farms. Families with children can discover the wide valleys for hiking in the north-eastern region of the canton close to the natural farms. In addition to the crystal-clear mountain lakes, guests are particularly drawn to Ticino's most famous bodies of water. It is usually only a few steps from the campsites in Ticino to Lake Maggiore or Lake Lugano, which are an inviting beach paradise for summer holidaymakers with a magnificent panorama.

Travellers have a large portfolio of campsites to choose from in Ticino. Caravan Camping Miralago, Camping Moretto and in Valle Verzasca, TCS Camping Lugano-Muzzano and Gordevio-Maggia impress with their unique location, beautifully situated pitches and rental accommodation. Glamping accommodation is available at Campofelice Camping Village and Camping Tamaro in Tenero.

Camping and tent sites in Ticino

For many holidaymakers, the canton of Ticino is a camping idyll in the Swiss mountains. Travellers are looking for a campsite with a beach, a bungalow by the lake or a campsite in the mountains. Ticino fulfils all these requirements.

Campofelice Camping Village - a super site

The unique location with its own beach, the exceptionally beautifully situated tourist pitches, the wonderful glamping accommodation and only a few permanent campers make Campofelice Camping Village in Tenero a dream destination for campers. Thanks to the inflatable play area in the water and the mostly free games, sports and entertainment facilities, your holiday will fly by.

Camping Tamaro in Tenero

Camping Tamaro in Tenero on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore with a magnificent view of the lake and mountains promises relaxing days in Switzerland. The 60 metre long beach with adjoining sunbathing lawn offers plenty of space for sun worshippers and water sports enthusiasts. For holidaymakers without a motorhome or tent, rental accommodation is available for booking.

Alternatively, you could opt for Caravan Camping Miralago, Camping Moretto and the campsites in Valle Verzasca, TCS Campings Lugano-Muzzano and Gordevio-Maggia. In addition to the classic tent pitches and pitches, these campsites also offer accommodation such as bungalows and caravans for hire. A reservation enquiry can be made by e-mail.

Getting there

From Germany to Ticino, travellers have to cover up to 800 km, depending on their starting point and destination, and plan up to half a day's journey. Coming from the north, the quickest route for motorhome travellers is via Basel or Schaffhausen and Zurich through the famous Gotthard Tunnel. It connects the village of Göschenen in the Swiss canton of Uri with the Ticino town of Airolo on the other side. This fast connection through the tunnel is particularly busy during the holiday season, so high traffic volumes are to be expected. In addition, holidaymakers travelling to Switzerland must bear in mind that tolls are charged and a corresponding sticker must be affixed to the windscreen of the car. The journey from the Bavarian capital of Munich to the Swiss canton of Bellinzona is reduced to 430 kilometres. The route leads via Austria, along the Fernpass road towards Innsbruck and on across the border to Liechtenstein and into Switzerland. The last stage is travelled on the A13 towards San Bernardino/Chur before following the exit to Bellinzona after around 130 km.

Destinations in Ticino

Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore have been relaxing holiday destinations for generations. In addition to bathing fun, visitors can experience the high art of architecture between Bellinzona and Ascona.

Bellinzona: a castle town with Mediterranean flair

The capital of Ticino boasts a wealth of culture and a picturesque location on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Maggiore. When the weather is fine, visitors can stroll up and visit the three medieval castles. The highest of these impressive monuments is Sasso Corbaro Castle. It was built by the Milanese Sforza family in 1479. It is thanks to the three castles that Bellinzona has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Lake idyll Ascona

Today's spa town of Ascona was once a small fishing village. It is picturesquely situated on the northern shore of the bright blue Lake Maggiore. It is only a few steps from the village centre to the bathing bays. A hiking trail through the forest leads up to the Corona dei Pinci panoramic mountain at an altitude of 1,293 metres.

Top 4 sights

Franciscan Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie

• Located in Bellinzona's southern neighbourhood, this church is home to the most impressive Renaissance paintings in the canton.

Castelgrande

• The castle, which was built between the 13th and 19th centuries with three striking towers, towers imposingly over the old town centre of Bellinzona.

St Pancras

• Thanks to 1,500 plant species, the island is considered the botanical garden of Ticino.

Museo Nazionale del San Gottardo

• The museum on the 2,100 metre-high Gotthard Pass near Airolo tells the story of the legendary Alpine route in a building dating back to 1834.

Activities and excursions

A worthwhile excursion by train or skiing down the long slopes - the mountains around the Gotthard massif in Ticino are equally attractive for active holidaymakers and those seeking relaxation.

Winter in Ticino for sports enthusiasts

With more than 127 kilometres of pistes, Ticino is a skiing paradise for holidaymakers. The slopes reach up to 2,400 metres and can be explored while skiing or cross-country skiing. Experienced skiers and beginners can start skiing at an altitude of 1,480 metres, with wide pistes stretching from the small mountain village of Bosco Gurin to Grossalp. The family-friendly - and cheaper - ski area near Muralto-Locarno also guarantees fun on two skis or a snowboard.

Family-friendly hikes

The Four Springs Trail in the Gotthard massif leads guests from Obergoms up to the Sella Pass. The trail, which climbs up to 1,300 metres in altitude, is nevertheless family-friendly - tranquil viewpoints await visitors along the way. In good weather, mountaineers can see as far as the sea of ice of the Rhone Glacier.

Events

Film buffs, flower fans and carnival revellers enjoy the rich, traditional art and culture on offer between lake and mountain at the campsite in the Swiss canton of Ticino.

February

• Carnival in Ascona: in many towns, the colourful parade with a long costume parade is accompanied by a public risotto or polenta meal. In the town of Ascona on the blue shores of Lake Maggiore, visitors can sample the savoury risotto con luganighe free of charge.

March/April

• Easter procession: the resurrection of Jesus is lavishly celebrated in the old town centre of Mendrisio. Thousands of locals and holidaymakers don't miss the spectacle on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

August

• International Film Festival in Locarno: for ten days, film stars and cinema enthusiasts gather in front of the magnificent lakeside backdrop. Visitors to the open-air cinema on the Piazza Grande watch the films on Europe's biggest screen with rapt attention.

Gastronomy

Ticino's tasty cuisine is inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine of Italy: fresh herbs, tomatoes, olives and aubergines, which guests and restaurant owners buy at the Lugano market, give homemade pizza or pasta that special touch. This results in delicious dishes in all variations, which can be quickly prepared on the campsite. In the restaurant, as in the Italian restaurants, polenta or risotto con Luganighe, a sausage risotto, are popular on the menu. A local speciality of Ticino is chestnuts, which are now a delicacy in the form of torta di castagne, no longer reminiscent of the former poor man's fruit. They are served with a tasty white or red Merlot, which is often drunk in the grotti - as the traditional mountain or garden pubs are called - in Ticino.

Best time to travel

Ticino is often referred to as the Swiss sunshine parlour. Thanks to the mild climate and around 2,300 hours of sunshine a year, Locarno, Lugano, Ascona and Chiasso are particularly suitable for a camping holiday in the summer months. There are hardly any temperature fluctuations and a few summer thunderstorms to be expected. Water temperatures hover around 24 degrees Celsius during the months of June and August, making for relaxing bathing fun with maximum temperatures between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius. Hikers prefer spring and autumn to collect chestnuts or mushrooms in the forest. The Alpine chain ensures that the cold air from the north is largely intercepted even then.