What the Parco delle Camelie is

The park was inaugurated in March 2005 for the International Camellia Society World Congress, with 500 camellias planted at the time. Locarno's parks and gardens service maintains it and propagates camellias at its nursery in Locarno Monti. The garden has received the International Camellia Society's Gardens of Excellence designation and belongs to the Gardens of Switzerland network.

A second phase of work from 2007 extended the park toward the lake and added the structures that shape a visit today: a granite-block amphitheatre, the largest flowerbed in the park and a pavilion beside a new pond. That expansion is why the park feels like a lakefront garden rather than a walled botanical collection.

Where the park sits and how to get there

The park is on Via Respini in Locarno, close to the lake and beside the Bagno pubblico La Lanca. Coming from the town center, it is a straightforward walk along the lakefront rather than a trip out of town; from Piazza Grande, allow a relaxed stroll south along the water.

If you are already exploring the old town, the park combines naturally with the sights around Piazza Grande, Locarno's main square. The walk between them is part of the appeal: the park is a quiet counterpoint to the busier squares.

Opening hours and free entry

The park opens all year on seasonal hours: 09:00 to 18:00 from 1 March to 30 September, and 09:00 to 16:45 from 1 October to 28 February. Entry to the park is free. The garden closes on 30 May for The Lago Openiar event, so avoid that date if you want to wander the beds.

Do not confuse the free park with the Camellia Exhibition. The exhibition, held on the park grounds in March, charges for entry and keeps separate hours, so check those before you go if the show is your reason for visiting.

The layout: labyrinth beds, the amphitheatre and the pond

The park is arranged as a series of flowerbeds forming a labyrinthine trail, with the lake and birdsong as a backdrop. It is designed to be wandered rather than marched through, and the lack of a single prescribed route is part of the visit. Allow yourself to follow whichever bed catches your eye.

At the lake-facing high point, a granite-block amphitheatre gives groups a place to sit at the park's most panoramic spot. Beside it is the largest flowerbed, dedicated to scented species and camellias. From the top of that bed a small stream runs down to a pond that reflects the pavilion.

The pavilion is the practical heart of the garden, housing a series of information panels on camellias. Read them early in your visit and the beds become easier to interpret. They also give the park a wet-weather purpose, since the structure offers shelter while you learn what you are looking at.

What blooms and when

Flowering is the park's defining feature: the species present guarantee, in principle, a bloom period spread across nine months of the year. That makes a visit worthwhile outside the spring peak, though the density of flowers varies through the seasons. Treat the nine months as a typical pattern, not a promise for a particular week.

The collection is planted with several camellia types, including C. sasanqua, C. hiemalis, C. vernalis, C. japonica, C. reticulata, hybrids, Higo and various species. Because different types flower at different times, the garden keeps a near-continuous floral interest rather than a single flush. If you have a particular type in mind, the information panels in the pavilion are the best place to start.

The collection in numbers

The park's camellia count depends on which stage of planting you count. The Ascona-Locarno tourism office describes 1,100 catalogued varieties, including about forty species and ten scented hybrids, plus 70 camellias still to be identified and 130 double camellias in a dividing hedge. Grandi Giardini Italiani gives a later figure of 1,450 varieties across roughly 15,000 square meters after a third expansion phase. Both numbers point to the same thing: a collection that has grown well beyond its original 500 plants.

The 2026 Camellia Exhibition

The Camellia Exhibition returned to the park for its 27th edition from 18 to 22 March 2026, with more than 200 camellia varieties on display. During the show, opening hours were 9:30 to 17:30 and entry was paid. Those dates applied to 2026 only, so do not assume the same week in later years.

Grandi Giardini Italiani describes the show as displaying at least 300 cut flowers under a marquee set up on site, which gives a sense of the scale. The show is a reason to time a visit to mid-March, but the park itself remains the main attraction the rest of the year.

How long to allow

Most visitors can see the park comfortably in under an hour, including time at the pavilion panels and a stop at the lake-facing amphitheatre. If you plan to read the information panels and linger over the scented beds, allow a little longer. The park is compact enough to fit between other stops in Locarno rather than taking a half-day.

A sensible pace is to enter from Via Respini, work through the labyrinth beds toward the lake, then finish at the pond and pavilion. That order puts the most scenic part of the garden last. If the weather turns, the pavilion gives you a reason to stay rather than leave immediately.

Accessibility and practical details

The park took part in the Pro Infirmis digital accessibility mapping project, carried out with Ticino Turismo and the regional tourist organizations. Detailed accessibility information for the park is available through that project rather than summarized here. Contact the park on +41 848 091 091 or at info@camellia.ch if you need to confirm a specific access need.

Ticino Ticket discount

The park is a Ticino Ticket partner, and the card can give a discounted visit to this attraction. Ask for the ticket at your hotel, campsite or hostel and check the current offers it includes. The Ticino Ticket is a useful add-on for a Locarno stay, but the discount terms are set by the scheme rather than the park.

Nearby and other Locarno sights

The Bagno pubblico La Lanca is the closest named neighbor, sitting beside the park at the southern end of the camellia beds. Beyond the lakefront, Locarno's other sights include the Castello Visconteo and the Museo Casa Rusca, both in the town center and easy to combine with a park visit on the same day.

For a broader plan of the town, the Locarno Attractions: 6 Visitor Guides collection covers the main sights, including Madonna del Sasso, the sanctuary on the hill above the old town, and how they fit together. If you are weighing the park against other things to do in Locarno, the garden works best as a calm hour between busier stops rather than a destination on its own. If you are extending your trip across the lake region, our Lugano city guide offers a comparable plan of things to do in Lugano.

Plan Your Visit

The Parco delle Camelie is a free, walkable garden on Via Respini with seasonal hours, a nine-month flowering window and a lake-facing amphitheatre that rewards a slow hour. The 2026 Camellia Exhibition has already taken place, so plan around the garden itself and watch for the next edition's dates. Check the published hours and any changes to the 30 May closure before you set out.