The Godfather told us we would love Lugano. And as you might expect from someone who answers to the name The Godfather, he was correct.
The Godfather is actually our friend Mike Leone. He was a client of mine about 35 years ago, but we didn’t become good friends until many years later when he bought the house directly across the street from ours.
The Godfather and The Godmother (his wonderful late, great wife) loved Lugano. It was her favorite place. So when we were planning this trip, The Godfather said, “If you’re going to Switzerland, you must visit Lugano.”
To tell the truth, I barely knew the name Lugano and didn’t know what to expect. It couldn’t be better (well, it could be better if it were cheaper, but that’s another discussion).
It sits on a beautiful lake very near the border with Italy. While Zurich and Lucerne seems much more German, Lugano is clearly Italian. The people are as warm as the weather and their swimsuits may be small, but their smiles are large.
According to Wikipedia, the town’s population is only 55,000 but neither Jamie nor I believe that number. It seems much larger, much more cosmopolitan. It seems like there’s another square (piazza in Italiano) every couple blocks. The streets are narrow and twisted and very steep.
We’re already talking about coming back again.
Lake Lugano. I know it’s a fresh water lake, but the town reminds me of Laguna. Except it has an Italian accent.
Beautiful old buildings run along crooked, narrow, steep streets. Mountain goats would feel at home here.
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