Campione d’Italia between Sacred Buildings and Lake Lugano

Campione d’Italia between the Lake and Culture

Campione d’Italia lies on the eastern shore of Lake Lugano. The town combines its lakeside setting with historic sacred buildings, a gallery, a casino that is clearly visible from across the lake, as well as routes for walks, boat trips, and cycling tours.

Art and History in the Townscape

At the Galleria Civica Don Sandro Vitalini, a glass floor reveals the foundations of the former Lombard church. Burials made using reused Roman materials can also be seen. The walls of the apse preserve parts of the 14th-century frescoes. The institution was established through the restoration of a building that was subsequently used as a municipal gallery. It has a permanent exhibition and is used for conferences, concerts, and various cultural events.

The sacred buildings also span several historical periods. The Santuario della Madonna dei Ghirli was converted into a single-nave oratory around the 14th century according to the principles of Romanesque architecture and was later altered in the Baroque style. The Oratorio di San Pietro is the surviving part of a church mentioned in documents from the 8th century. A section of a Lombard necropolis can be seen beneath a glass floor.

The Casino on Lake Lugano

The first Casino Municipale di Campione was founded in 1917 and definitively reopened on 2 March 1933. The current building of the Casino di Campione was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta. It is a nine-storey building with an area of 55,000 m², clearly visible from across the lake. Its history and architecture complement the historic churches and the Galleria with a more recent, independent chapter in the town’s story.

Walks, Boats, and Swimming

Public boats depart from the pier in Campione d’Italia and travel on the Ceresio to Lugano and other lakeside villages. For an exploration on foot, the easy Passeggiata in centro is a good choice: the route is 3 km long, takes around 1 hour, and follows the lakeshore from the Santuario dei Ghirli to the Porticciolo. The route thus combines a sacred building, the shore, and the harbour in one manageable walk.

A longer hike is the Da Campione a Bissone circular route. It is 7 km long, takes approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, and has a moderate difficulty level. At the Lido comunale, you can swim in the Ceresio and relax by the lake.

Campione d’Italia as a Starting Point for Cycling Tours

From Campione d’Italia, cycling excursions lead around the Ceresio and onward to the Italian lakes Lago Maggiore and Lake Como. When choosing your hotel, you can therefore first consider which of these facets should shape your trip: historic interiors and sacred buildings, walks along the shore, a boat trip to Lugano and other villages, or a longer cycling route.

More Destinations

Bellagio, Lurago Marinone, Sorico, Erbonne, Cermenate, Luisago, Carate Urio, Locate Varesino

For the overview of the broader destination: Como.