Hotels in Locarno

Locarno: Ticino's Lakefront at the Foot of the Alps

Locarno sits at the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, Switzerland, at 205 m above sea level. The city records the highest average sunshine hours in Switzerland — roughly 2,300 per year — which sustains palm-lined promenades and outdoor café terraces uncommon this far north. The Piazza Grande, a broad arcaded square a short walk from the lakefront, doubles each August as the main screen for the Locarno Film Festival, one of Europe's oldest competitive film events, founded in 1946.

Where to Stay in Locarno

Most hotels concentrate in two zones: the flat Muralto district near the rail station, and the Lungolago waterfront strip facing the lake. A rack-and-pinion funicular climbs from the old town to the Santuario della Madonna del Sasso, a 15th-century pilgrimage church perched 150 m above the rooftops — visible from most lakeview rooms. Day-trippers arrive from Ascona, 3 km west, and from Milan Centrale by train in under two hours.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Direct trains from Zurich HB take approximately 2 hours 20 minutes via the Gotthard Base Tunnel.
• Weather: April through October suits outdoor sightseeing; August coincides with the film festival and higher room rates.
• Currency: Swiss franc (CHF); Ticino menus often show euro prices for Italian cross-border visitors.
• Lake access: Public ferry piers at Largo Zorzi connect to Ascona and Stresa (Italy).