Situated at the northern tip of Lake Maggiore, the main body of which lies over the border in Italy, Switzerland's lowest city, Locarno, bathes in a climate more Mediterranean than Alpine. The warmth of its climate - Locarno enjoys an estimated 2,300 hours of sunshine each year - and the natural splendour of the city's lakeside setting long ago secured Locarno's popularity as a recreational destination.

Besides historic architecture Locarno offers beautiful public gardens, a diversity of shops, cafes and restaurants, art galleries, museums and other attractions and is small enough to be explored enjoyably on foot. A relaxing afternoon's boat trip on Lake Maggiore, meanwhile, provides a picturesque alternative view of the city and its beautiful surroundings from the water.

Locarno's foremost contemporary art museum is housed in a magnificent eighteenth-century building, itself a listed Swiss Heritage Site. The collection includes paintings, sculptures and drawings dating from the end of the nineteenth century to the modern-day.

Locarno's impressive central square is surrounded by historic buildings and is both the city's main shopping area and the gateway to theCittà Vecchia(Old City).