The city of Lugano, also known as the 'Rio de Janeiro of the Old Continent', lays on the shores of Lake Lugano. Clear blue waters and rugged mountains topped with snow-capped peaks characterize the idyllic setting. Tourism is the main earner of this lovely region but international banking is also a major source of revenue - Lugano is the third largest financial centre in the country. it's renowned for its mild climate, delightful scenery, luxuriant vegetation, great shopping and, of course, for its music festivals, like the Estival Jazz and the Blues to Bop Festival. Lugano has a charming and easygoing atmosphere. Meandering alleyways, thoughtfully laid out parks and the squares (Piazza) in the pedestrian zone beckon further investigation. Remarkable buildings are e.g. the Romanesque Cathedral of San Lorenzo and the 15th century Monastery of Santa Maria degli Angioli with its fabulous frescoes by Bernardino Luini. Lugano boasts three art museums: the Municipal Art Museum exposes the works by the great impressionists, modern masters and the most significant Ticino artists throughout all epochs; the Cantonal Art Museum houses a 19th and 20th century art collection by Swiss and foreign artists and last but not least, the Museum of Modern Art. Yet also the Museum of Non-European Culture with an important collection of artistic and historic interest of ethnic items from Oceania, Indonesia and Africa is worth visiting. Make an excursion with the funicular railway to Mount Bré from which you will admire the splendour of Mount Rosa and the Bernese and Valais Alps. A short walk will take you to a very typical Ticinese village. This village is all the more charming thanks to ist 'art trail' consisting of mural paintings, sculptures and the Wilhelm Schmid Museum. Make an excursion to Swissminiatur in Melide. It is an open air site, where you can admire the most picturesque Swiss towns, villages, monuments and public transportation 25 times smaller than in reality and where your kids will have lots of fun on the playground. Melide is situated on a peninsula called, Ceresio surrounded by Lake Lugano. You might also want to discover the zoo in Magliaso/Neggio with more than 100 animals from all over the world - by the way the only one in the Ticino - as well as the Fishing Museum in Caslano, which was inaugurated in 1993 and features more than a hundred objects. The museum is situated in a beautiful park where three old, fully equipped fishing boats are exposed. Other interesting museums are the Hermann Hesse Museum in Montagnola, preciously witnessing the last 43 years of the author which he spent in Montagnola; the Alprose Chocolate Museum in Caslano as well as the Swiss Customs Museum in Cantine di Gandria with a collection of customs and smuggled goods. This lovely region also offers you a full range of sports and water sports activities as well as relaxing cruises on Lake Lugano.
Your Minotel Federale is conveniently located on a hill of Lugano, halftway up, at three walking minutes from Lugano railway station and at 7 walking minutes from the city center and lakeshore. We have a bar/lounge, a restaurant, small banquet and meeting facilities and fitness area with sauna, whirlpool and gym corner. For cars, we do have a supervised underground car parking at daily rate of chf 18 per car per night. Highway: take exit Lugano-Nord, follow the main street down to the city until you find yourself in a short tunnel. In the tunnel, take the right hand lane and at the exit turn right 90 degrees. Go straight, go over a traffic round point and 100 meters (300 feet) after that, take the first small road which turns left. Go down the steep road and at the bottom turn left one last time and you are at the hotel. Airports: Lugano-Agno at 7 km (4.5 miles) and Milano-Malpensa at 70 km (45 miles). Shuttle bus service available from both airports with bus stop at Lugano railway station (which is at 3 walking minutes from the hotel).