Locarno Attractions: 6 Visitor Guides
Locarno lies at the northern end of Lake Maggiore in Ticino, and its arcaded Piazza Grande is the heart of the town. Above it, the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso looks over the lake, while the Castello Visconteo and the Pinacoteca Casa Rusca hold the town's history and art.
Locarno attraction guides
Castello Visconteo Locarno: Tickets, Hours and What to See
The Castello Visconteo is Locarno's lakeside medieval castle, home to the city's archaeological museum, a celebrated Roman glass collection and displays on the 1925 Locarno Pact. Here is how the exhibitions break down, what a ticket covers, when it closes and how much time to allow.
Madonna del Sasso, Locarno: Sanctuary Visitor Guide
The Santuario della Madonna del Sasso watches over Locarno from a rocky spur above the Old Town, with a terrace view across Lake Maggiore to the Lepontine peaks. You can climb the pilgrim paths in about 20 to 30 minutes or ride the funicular from near the railway station, then spend an hour or two on the artworks, the monastery museum and the panorama.
Museo Casa Rusca, Locarno: Exhibitions, Hours and Tickets
Museo Casa Rusca is Locarno's picture gallery in a restored 18th-century townhouse on Piazza S. Antonio, and it shows temporary exhibitions rather than a fixed collection. Here is what sits inside, what a ticket costs in CHF, which days it opens and how to pair it with the Castello and Casorella.
Museo Casorella, Locarno: Plan Your Art Museum Visit
Museo Casorella is Locarno's home for its civic art collections, housed in a restored 16th-century mansion on Via Bartolomeo Rusca near the castle. The Jean Arp and Max Bill rooms anchor a small, quick visit, and the building's courtyards and stuccoed hall reward a slow look.
Parco delle Camelie Locarno: Visiting the Camellia Park
Locarno's Parco delle Camelie is a free lakeside garden of more than a thousand camellia varieties, with a nine-month flowering window, a lake-facing amphitheatre and a pavilion of information panels. It sits on Via Respini near the Bagno pubblico La Lanca and opens on seasonal hours.
Piazza Grande, Locarno: A Visitor's Guide to the Main Square
Piazza Grande is the cobbled heart of Locarno, ringed by bright facades and arcades. Plan a short stop by day, then come back if the Locarno Film Festival turns the square into an open-air cinema.