Experiencing Campione d’Italia from the Water’s Edge

A sliver of Italy wrapped by Switzerland, Campione sits on a curve of Lake Lugano where the water moves like silk and evenings glow with the lights of Lugano across the bay. It is a place for soft landings and slow mornings, for boat wakes that write temporary poems on the lake, for a nightcap that lingers long after the glass is empty.

Seasons at a glance

Spring brings camellias and a soft shimmer on the water. Trails along the Olive Grove path between Castagnola and Gandria smell of herbs and warm stone and the return by boat is pure pleasure.

Summer is for lake days. Book your private boat, reserve the corner table outdoors at Valì and let evenings stretch. Monte Brè’s late services on weekend nights make sunset at the summit easy.

Autumn tastes of chestnuts and Merlot. Vineyards host tastings and the hills wrap themselves in bronze. The museums at LAC and MASI keep culture humming while the lake settles into its reflective mood.

Winter suits long lunches and mellow nights. The casino lights up the shoreline and the village stays quiet, which means you have the lake almost to yourself. After reopening, the storied Casinò di Campione is once again part of the nightly rhythm.

Premium moments

Float the day away. The hotel can arrange a private boat on Lake Lugano for swimming stops and a lazy circuit of the shoreline villages. Or go classic with scheduled cruises that sweep between Lugano, Gandria and Morcote, a simple way to let scenery be the main course.

Rise above the lake on the Monte Brè funicular, then watch the light slide over Lugano as evening comes. Summer Fridays and Saturdays run late, which makes a sunset return feel nicely extravagant.

If you crave a bird’s-eye view, ask for a scenic helicopter flight from nearby Lugano Airport. Operators run private sightseeing loops over the lakes and peaks, a swift way to understand the geography your glass of Merlot hinted at the night before.

For something grounded and delicious, spend an afternoon among vines in the Mendrisiotto or on the Morcote peninsula. Tenuta Castello di Morcote offers guided walks through terraced rows and tastings inside a historic estate above the lake. Tamborini’s vinoteca in Lamone is a playground for collectors and a fine place to get to know Bianco di Merlot.

Eat and drink

For a celebratory night, cross the bay to I Due Sud at Hotel Splendide Royal in Lugano. The dining room is intimate and the cooking has one Michelin star, with a menu that bridges southern Switzerland and southern Italy. Book well ahead and request the lakeside tables.

New energy keeps Lugano’s scene lively. META has earned a Michelin star for its Med and Asia tinged tasting menus and is relocating to Piazza della Riforma with a planned reopening in October. It is the choice for guests who enjoy a modern room and a little theatre on the plate.

Back in Campione, keep a night for Valì and let the kitchen guide you through the lake and garden. Guests often remark on the refinement and the warm service, which suits the scale of the hotel.

Where to stay in Campione d’Italia

Grand Hotel Campione is your elegant little perch on the water. Rooms rise above the lake with clean lines and generous windows, so mornings begin with light and a view of Monte San Salvatore. Suites have personalities, from the sleek Modern Dandy at the top of the house with a sky window for star gazing to the Femme Fatale that leans into romance. You come here for calm service and the convenience of being right in the village, then stay for the feeling that the lake is part of your room.

Grand Hotel Campione, a member of the VERTU Collection