Lugano with kids: 11 family day trips around Lake Lugano
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Lugano with kids? Absolutely. If there were a recipe for a successful family holiday, every ingredient would already be waiting around Lake Lugano: mountains for small adventures, a lake to swim in, boats that cast off right in front of you, pretty Ticino villages and a gelateria at every turn.
And the best part: most of it lies surprisingly close together. You can take the funicular up a mountain in the morning, stroll through an old village at lunchtime and still jump into the water in the afternoon. Without a car. Without hours of transfers. And without the feeling of having turned your family holiday into a tightly scheduled sightseeing programme. We’ve gathered 11 destinations around Lugano that we find genuinely exciting for families. We visited some of them ourselves, others went straight onto the list for next time after our stay. The point isn’t to tick off as many sights as possible. It’s about the places where parents and kids both have a good time, and that suit the age your children are right now.
Through Ticino by bus, train and boat: the Ticino Ticket
Before we get going, here’s a really good tip for anyone holidaying in Ticino: the Ticino Ticket.
If you’re staying in a hotel, a holiday village, a youth hostel or on a campsite, you’ll be handed one at check-in. It lets you travel free on buses and trains within the canton for your entire stay. It’s even valid until midnight on the day you leave.
On top of that come discounts at numerous mountain railways, boats, museums and lidos. Depending on the offer, that’s around 20 to 30 percent off.
For families, that’s worth its weight in gold. Because suddenly a spontaneous “shall we hop on the boat to Gandria?” stops being a maths problem. We’ve put together just how much you can save with cards like this in our overview of the best guest cards for families.
And this ease of getting around is exactly what suits a family holiday in Lugano so well.
1. Monte Brè: mountain panorama and an artists’ village
There are outings where the journey is already part of the destination. Monte Brè is one of them. From Cassarate, the funicular takes you up to 933 metres. The lower section has been running since 1908, the upper one since 1912. Around 620 metres of altitude later, Lugano lies far below you and Lake Lugano stretches through the landscape like a blue ribbon.
Once at the top, you can simply enjoy the view or walk through the chestnut forest towards Brè. The old artists’ village with its narrow lanes and Ticino houses suddenly feels a very long way from the city.
We just set off without any particular goal. That’s exactly what we like about places like this. For our next visit we’ve noted down the Ristorante Vetta with its large panoramic terrace, open daily from April to October.
Good to know: The funicular runs from the first Saturday in March to 6 January, with a maintenance break in between. Along the way it stops in Suvigliana, Albonago and Aldesago, among others. If you’re staying at the Reka Holiday Village Lugano-Albonago, you can board practically on your doorstep.
2. Agriturismo La Stala: animals, farm shop and Ticino cooking
The Agriturismo La Stala lies in Mezzovico in the Val Vedeggio, around twenty minutes by car from Lugano. The farm is home to cows, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, chickens, geese and a flock of black Valais sheep. Some of the animals belong to heritage breeds preserved through ProSpecieRara. Children, incidentally, remember stories like that far better than any museum panel.
The cooking is built around whatever the farm produces: vegetables from its own garden, home-reared meat and products from neighbouring farms. The dining room sits inside a converted old stable, and in summer you eat on the terrace looking out over the hills.
Our favourite is the Emporio, the self-service shop right at the farm. Vegetables, microgreens, jams, pesto and house-made salumi, open around the clock. It’s a pretty good place to stock up for a picnic by the lake.
Good to know: Closed Monday and Tuesday, evenings only from Wednesday to Friday, lunch and dinner on Saturday, lunch on Sunday. Book ahead. The farm experiences for families run on request and should be booked well in advance.
3. Parco San Grato: botanical garden meets playground
A botanical garden probably isn’t at the top of every child’s wish list. The Parco San Grato in Carona still manages to win over its smallest visitors with remarkable ease.
Azaleas, rhododendrons and conifers grow across roughly 62,000 square metres here. The blossom in April and May is especially spectacular. But there’s plenty to discover outside flowering season too, because hidden among the plants are a fairy tale trail and a genuinely good playground right in the middle of the park, framed by mighty conifers and Japanese maples.
And then there’s the view. The park sits at around 690 metres between Monte San Salvatore and Monte Arbostora. Perfect, in other words, for a morning when the kids need to move a bit and the parents would quite like some Ticino mountain air.
Good to know: Entry is free and the park is open all year round. Allow around 1.5 to 3 hours. The postal bus gets you from Lugano to Carona in about 25 minutes. The area around the playground is wide and level, while the rest of the grounds are partly hilly. There’s a panoramic restaurant, and picnicking is allowed along the panorama trail.
© Parco San Grato
4. Gandria: a village straight out of a picture book
This small village clings to the steep slope directly above Lake Lugano. There are hardly any cars. Instead: narrow lanes, old houses, steps, olive trees and, again and again, a glimpse of the turquoise water. The loveliest way to arrive is definitely by boat from Lugano, and for children the roughly 30-minute crossing is a highlight in itself.
Once you reach the village, though, it’s better to leave the pushchair at the boat landing (it’s reliably looked after there). Some lanes are so narrow that even a small buggy turns into a logistical challenge. With a carrier, on the other hand, Gandria is wonderful.
La Bottega di Gandria sits right by the landing stage. Do drop in for regional products, Ticino specialities and cake.
For us this was one of the loveliest stops around Lugano.
5. Sentiero dell’Olivo: a lakeside walk with a view
From Gandria you can simply carry on walking. The Sentiero dell’Olivo runs for around 3.3 kilometres along the lake towards Castagnola.
Eighteen information boards along the way tell the story of olive trees, cultivation and olive oil production. Far more exciting for children, though, is probably what happens between the boards: walking along the water, taking little breaks and stopping every few minutes because there’s a salamander lying on the stones.
Pure walking time is about an hour. With children we’d allow considerably more. The path is largely pushchair-friendly, although there are steps in a few places. With two adults that’s easy enough to manage.
Our tip: While you’re in Gandria, walk only part of the route, then turn back and take the boat onwards to tip number 6.
6. Cantine di Gandria: Ticino life by the lake
Another place you can reach by boat: the Cantine di Gandria.
Locals once stored wine, cheese and sausage here in cool cellars right by the lake. Today you’ll find traditional grotti serving Ticino classics such as polenta or risotto, with shady tables under the trees. Right next door is the Swiss Customs Museum, which explores smuggling, borders and the history of customs.
We didn’t make it inside this time. Our ferry was faster than we were. So it’s firmly on the list for our next visit. The waterside setting alone and the view towards Italy make the detour worthwhile.
Good to know: The museum can only be reached by boat, and the landing stages are called “Museo doganale” and “Cantine di Gandria”. In the 2026 season it’s open from 5 April to 18 October, Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 5 pm. Entry is free.
7. Morcote: a touch of dolce vita on Lake Lugano
Morcote ranks among the most beautiful villages in Switzerland. The former fishing village lies at the southern end of Lake Lugano. Arcaded houses stand right at the water’s edge, and above them steps lead up to the church of Santa Maria del Sasso.
Our family favourite is the Parco Scherrer. The park feels a little like a cross between a botanical garden and a mysterious voyage of discovery. Egyptian, Greek and Far Eastern structures appear suddenly between the palms and cypresses.
You can reach this special Ticino village by postal bus along the lake, or take the water route by boat.
8. Parco Ciani: our favourite spot for a break in the city
After a few hours in the old town, there’s always the moment when everyone has had enough at the same time. The kids of the lanes, us of the browsing. In Lugano, the Parco Ciani is usually already in sight by then.
The large city park starts right at the lakeshore, with wide lawns, old trees and a playground complete with a castle, slides and swings. Right out on the headland you can even swim. It’s a pretty relaxed way to round off a day in the city. And if the weather turns, the cantonal natural history museum is right next door.
9. Lido di Lugano: a day between the lake and the diving tower
When “let’s just pop in for a quick swim” is meant to turn into a full day at the water, the Lido di Lugano is the right address. There’s a sandy beach directly on the lake, a heated Olympic pool, a second swimming pool, a children’s pool and a diving tower going up to ten metres.
For families with school-age children that’s pretty promising. While some are leaping into the water, the others can simply lie on the beach and soak up the Mediterranean atmosphere. But there’s plenty to keep smaller kids busy too.
Good to know: Opening hours and admission prices vary by season. The Ticino Ticket gets you discounts at many pools and lidos.
10. Swissminiatur: all of Switzerland in one go
A whole country in miniature sounds at first like an outing for grown-ups who enjoy playing with model railways. Not in this case. At Swissminiatur in Melide, more than 130 Swiss buildings stand side by side at a scale of 1:25. The Federal Palace next to the Matterhorn, the Chapel Bridge a few steps further on, and in between trains, boats and cable cars making their way through the landscape.
From Lugano it’s a seven-minute train ride along the lakeshore and you’re there. The park works well from around three or four years old, because something is always moving somewhere. It gets really good at primary school age, when children suddenly recognise buildings and go hunting for their own little Switzerland.
One thing you should definitely agree with the kids beforehand: everything can be looked at, nothing can be touched. There is a playground in the park, though, where they can let off steam properly in between.
Good to know: Adults pay 22 francs, children aged 6 to 15 pay 15 francs, and under-5s go free. The family ticket costs 60 francs for two adults with children and 40 francs for one adult with children. The Ticino Ticket gets you 20 percent off, and a valid Swiss Travel Pass even 30 percent. The discounts only apply at the ticket desk on site, not for online purchases.
11. Museo in Erba: art for kids
An art museum with children? Yes. The Museo in Erba at Central Park in Lugano, a few steps from the LAC cultural centre, designs its exhibitions specifically for young visitors. There are interactive elements, play areas and a studio where children can try things out and create for themselves. The focus is on children aged roughly three to eleven, with an additional baby studio for two- to three-year-olds.
For us this is above all a bad weather and heatwave tip. Exactly the kind of address you like having up your sleeve when it’s either 35 degrees outside or the sky has opened all its floodgates.
Since the exhibitions change, it’s worth checking the current programme in advance.
And what if it rains?
Even though Ticino likes to market itself with its nickname, the sun terrace of Switzerland, rainy days are of course part of the deal. For those occasions we’ve noted down a few alternatives we came across during our stay at the Reka holiday village:
- Splash & Spa in Rivera is a large water park with slides and a separate wellness area, and it’s easy to reach by train.
- The Evolution Climbing Center in Taverne has climbing and bouldering walls that already appeal to primary school children.
- At LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura right by the lake you can combine culture and architecture. It houses the Museo d’arte della Svizzera italiana, among other things.
Our three favourite outings for a first holiday in Lugano
If you’re coming to Lugano with children for the first time and don’t want to bury yourselves under a tightly scheduled programme, we’d start with three outings:
- Monte Brè for the sweeping mountain panorama and the artists’ village of Brè.
- Gandria by boat for narrow lanes, the lake and a real taste of Ticino life.
- Parco Ciani for Lugano, a swimming break and a little dolce vita by the water.
That already gives you everything we love about a family holiday in Ticino: mountains, lake, city and plenty of time outdoors. The olive trail gets more interesting once everyone happily walks on their own. Swissminiatur is a fairly safe bet at primary school age. And the ten-metre diving tower at the lido can go on the bucket list for the bigger kids.
Everything else you can add according to mood, weather and the age of your children. A mountain railway here, a boat there, a gelato in between and a quick dip in the lake in the afternoon. Sometimes a family holiday doesn’t need any more than that.
And if you’d like to browse on for your next trip: all of our favourite places in Switzerland are collected here.
This post was created in collaboration with Reka and Switzerland Tourism. Our opinions remain our own.
