Ascona

Ascona, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Ascona is often referred to as the “Pearl of Lake Maggiore” with its elegant lakeside promenade, flower-lined streets, and pastel buildings. Ascona feels more like a small Italian Riviera town than a typical Swiss village. Each year Ascona holds the JazzAscona Festival.

ABOUT

Ascona�s Mediterranean microclimate means palm trees, lemon blossoms, and mild winters. Locals and visitors enjoy aperitivo by the lake along with open-air jazz concerts in summer, and long lunches on shaded terraces.

Ascona boasts a lovely old town with cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and a lively lakeside promenade lined with cafes and restaurants. It�s also home to several art galleries, museums, and historic sites.

LOCATION

Location

Ascona location on Lake Maggiore

Ascona is on the northern end of Lake Maggiore, next to Locarno.

The town is close to the 13 motorway which connects to the E35 towards Milan and Lucerne.

SPORT, WALKS & CYCLING

IN THE ASCONA AREA

Image: OutdoorActive

GOLF
Ascona has a renowned 18-hole golf course. More information from Golf Ascona.

WATERSPORTS
There are also various water sports on offer, such as sailing, wakeboarding and waterskiing.

CYCLING & MTB
Ascona and the surrounding region by bike. A beautiful cycle path leads to Locarno and even further to Bellinzona. View this Komoot page for more rides. For mountain biking view the online maps here.

HIKING
Ascona/Locarno tourism hosts this page on Outdoor Active with a list of hikes in the area.

Information

FERRY INFORMATION

Locarno has the local Swiss ferry service and is also connected to the rest of Lake Maggiore by the Italian lake ferry service.

View the�Swiss Ferry Service here�and the Italian one below.

VIEW FERRY PAGE

Things to see in Ascona

Ascona dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

THINGS TO SEE

Ascona Promenade (Lungolago)
A postcard-perfect lakefront lined with palm trees, cafes, galleries, and pastel-colored buildings. Ideal for strolling, people-watching, and dining with a view.

�Old Town (Borgo)
Wander through narrow cobblestone alleys filled with boutiques, wine bars, and art shops. The old town is small but rich in character.

Monte Verit�
This hill above Ascona was once home to utopian artists and philosophers in the early 20th century. Today it features gardens, a museum, a hotel, and panoramic views of the lake.

Brissago Islands
Accessible by boat from Ascona, these islands host a lush botanical garden with over 1,700 species from around the world.

Hotels

A selection of the most well-reviewed hotels in Ascona include the following

Castello del Sole Beach Resort&SPA

*****

Offering a 300-metre long private lakeshore at Lake Locarno, the luxurious Castello del Sole features a spacious wellness centre with a gym, tennis courts and a golf course. It is surrounded by a 14-hectare big private park.

All rooms and suites come with air conditioning, free wired internet access, cable TV and balcony. The private bathrooms are equipped with toiletries, bathrobes and slippers.

Directly on the lakeshore guests can have a drink at the Spiaggia bar and terrace. The various � la carte restaurants serve an international cuisine including sea food specialities. They offer outdoor dining options on the summer terrace.

REVIEWS

Nice location with the park and direct access to the lake, friendly stuff and great food.

Beautiful hotel with huge territory. Friendly personnel, great food and most comfortable beds. Beach is also really nice. We are definitely coming back again.

Beautiful setting, great accommodations and very friendly staff.

information from Booking.com

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Art Hotel Riposo

****

Offering an outdoor pool and sun terrace, Art Hotel Riposo is set in Ascona in the Canton of Ticino Region. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.

Every room includes a TV. A balcony or patio are featured in certain rooms. Each room is fitted with a private bathroom equipped with a shower. For your comfort, you will find bath robes and slippers.

REVIEWS

The hotel is in an amazing location just by the lake and close to the old town. It has an artistic feel with very friendly staff.

Amazing welcoming staff. Very cosy and well decorated hotel. Great terrasse. Very good food.

Great location, lovely roof top terrace with pool, delicious breakfast & excellent restaurant, The staff were all really helpful and friendly.

Great location, beautiful rooftop bar, very nice personell, beautifully decorated.

information from Booking.com

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Hotel Ascovilla Charming Hideway

****

Surrounded by a Mediterranean garden, this 4-star hotel in Ascona is only 70 metres from Lake Maggiore. It offers a heated outdoor pool, free bicycle hire, and free WiFi.

Hotel Ascovilla�s elegant and spacious rooms include a flat-screen satellite TV, air conditioning, a minibar, and a bathroom with hairdryer and make-up mirror. Some have a balcony.

The Ascovilla’s restaurant serves Mediterranean and international cuisine, as well as a large selection of fine wines.

REVIEWS

Hotel Ascovilla was amazing. They have the friendliest and most helpful staff. Great pool, Great food, and Great location

Lovely location and property. The pool was fantastic, with service and drinks too! The restaurant is top notch.

It was divine. chic clean and modern with classic twist. very lovely. beautiful manicured lawn and pool

information from Booking.com

VIEW/BOOK