page_title: Lugano
section_title: Natural sights
hierarchical_section_title: Lugano / Tourism / Natural sights
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Lugano mit Monte San Salvatore (Lago di Lugano)
context_page_description: Lugano is a town and a municipality in southern Switzerland in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino bordering Italy.
  The between 2004 and 2013 territorially vastly expanded municipality has a population of 63,185, and an urban agglomeration of over 150,000. The ninth largest Swiss town, it is the largest in Ticino and largest with an Italian speaking majority outside of Italy. The town lies on Lake Lugano, surrounded by the mountains of the Lugano Prealps.
  The eastern part of the municipality shares a border with Italy.
context_section_description: A very popular destination in Lugano is Lake Lugano. The lake is 48.7 square kilometres (18.8 sq mi) in size, 63% of which is in Switzerland and 37% in Italy. It has an average width of roughly 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) and is nearly 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) at its widest. The maximum depth of the lake is 279 meters (915 ft). The water is generally warm with average water temperatures in the summer ranging from 19.5 °C (67.1 °F) to 24.0 °C (75.2 °F).
  Several companies provide tourist boat services on the lake. A popular excursion is by boat to the picturesque lakeside village of Gandria. Additionally there are numerous shipyards, water taxis and boat rental sites along the lake, as well as hotels and restaurants that offer moorings. Bathing in the lake is allowed at any of the 50 or so bathing establishments located along the Swiss shores.
  In addition to the lake, Lugano is surrounded by mountains, which provide a number of opportunities for sports or sightseeing. Two mountains, both providing excellent views over the town and lake, bracket each end of the town's waterfront. Monte Brè (933 metres (3,061 ft)), to the north, is reputedly Switzerland's sunniest spot and is also home to the old village of Brè. Monte San Salvatore (912 metres (2,992 ft)), to the south, has an old church and museum atop its summit. Both mountains are accessible by funicular railways, which are themselves easily accessible by frequent town bus or by car.
  Slightly further afield is Monte Generoso (1,704 metres (5,591 ft)), with a view that encompasses the lakes of Lugano, Como and Maggiore, as well as the Alps from the Matterhorn to the Bernina Range, the Lombardy Plains, and, on a clear day, the city of Milan. The summit can be reached by taking either an SNL boat, or a railway train, to Capolago, and changing there onto a rack railway train of the Monte Generoso Railway.
caption: View of Monte San Salvatore and Lugano, as seen from Monte Brè
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