page_title: Lake Lugano
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Lake Lugano / Geography
caption_attribution_description: English: Lake Lugano with on the left side the Monte San Giorgio and Melide bridge (with the trees) Deutsch: Damm von Melide über den Luganersee. Im Hintergrund erhebt sich der bewaldete Monte San Giorgio südlich des Sees.
context_page_description: Lake Lugano is a glacial lake which is situated on the border between southern Switzerland and northern Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore. It was cited for the first time by Gregory of Tours in 590 with the name Ceresio, a name which is said to have derived from the Latin word cerasus, meaning cherry, and refers to the abundance of cherry trees which at one time adorned the shores of the lake. The lake appears in documents in 804 under the name Laco Luanasco.
  Well-known mountains and tourist destinations on the shores of the lake are Monte Brè to the east, Monte San Salvatore west of Lugano, and Monte Generoso on the south-east shore. The World Heritage Site Monte San Giorgio is situated south of the lake.
context_section_description: The lake is 48.7 km² (18.8 sq mi) in size, 63% of which is in Switzerland and 37% in Italy, has an average width of roughly 1 km (0.62 mi), a maximum depth of 288 m (945 ft) found in the northern basin. The culminating point of the lake's drainage basin is the Pizzo di Gino summit in the Lugano Prealps (2,245 m, 7,365 ft). Bathing in the lake is allowed at any of the 50 or so bathing establishments located along the Swiss shores.
  The Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia and parts of the waters of the lake are considered by European Customs Law as non-territorial for fiscal purposes and as such enjoy a special tax status as a duty-free area, exemption from EU VAT
  and offer residents other advantageous tax privileges.
  The Melide causeway separates the northern (27.5 km², 10.6 sq mi) and southern (21.4 km², 8.3 sq mi) basins, although a bridge in the causeway permits water flow and navigation. The lake retention time is an average of 8.2 years; that of the northern basin (11.9 years) is considerably higher than the southern one (2.3 years).
  Places on the lake in Switzerland (CH) and in Italy (I) include (from Lugano, clockwise):
  Lugano (CH)
  Cassarate (CH)
  Castagnola (CH)
  Gandria (CH)
  Oria, Valsolda (I)
  San Mamete (I)
  Cressogno (I)
  Porlezza (I)
  Cantine di Gandria (CH)
  Caprino (CH)
  Campione d'Italia (I)
  Bissone (CH)
  Maroggia (CH)
  Melano (CH)
  Capolago (CH)
  Riva San Vitale (CH)
  Brusino-Arsizio (CH)
  Porto Ceresio (I)
  Brusimpiano (I)
  Lavena Ponte Tresa (I)
  Ponte Tresa (I/CH)
  Caslano (CH)
  Magliaso (CH)
  Agno (CH)
  Agnuzzo (CH)
  Montagnola (CH)
  Carabietta (CH)
  Figino (CH)
  Morcote (CH)
  Melide (CH)
  Paradiso (CH)
caption: Lake Lugano with the Melide causeway
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