Where to Stay in Locarno

Locarno sits at the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in Italian-speaking Ticino, at around 200 m — close to the lowest point in the country and reputedly its sunniest, warmest spot. Palm trees, terracotta roofs and a subtropical, Mediterranean feel make it one of the most un-Swiss-looking places in Switzerland. It's best known for its lakeside Piazza Grande, the world-class Locarno Film Festival, and the Madonna del Sasso sanctuary on the hill above.

Here's what to know before booking: how to get there, when to go, and where to stay — with a live price comparison to find your room.

Getting to Locarno

By train from northern Switzerland you come through the Gotthard and change at Bellinzona; the journey from Zurich takes about 2h20, and Milan is a similar time to the south. The station is in adjacent Muralto, a short walk from the centre. Around town and the lake, public transport is excellent — and overnight guests get the Ticino Ticket, giving free regional buses and trains plus cable-car discounts. Note Locarno is the third-largest town in Ticino, after Lugano and the cantonal capital Bellinzona.

When to visit

• Spring (April–June): the region greens up early; the Camellia park blooms, waterfalls run full, and it's pleasantly warm with fewer crowds.
• Summer (July–August): hot and Mediterranean, peak swimming season — and the Locarno Film Festival packs the town in August (book far ahead).
• Autumn: mild and quieter; note some lake boats and mountain lifts wind down from mid-October.

What to do

Piazza Grande & the old town

The long, cobbled Piazza Grande is the heart of Locarno — ringed by arcaded cafés and restaurants, host to open-air concerts and, every August, the Locarno Film Festival, where films screen on one of Europe's largest open-air screens. The old town behind it has Renaissance facades, churches and the medieval Castello Visconteo with its archaeological museum.

Madonna del Sasso

Above the town in Orselina sits the Madonna del Sasso, a pilgrimage church on a rocky spur dating to a 1480 apparition — the most visited sanctuary in Italian-speaking Switzerland. Reach it by funicular or on foot, and take in the frescoes and the sweeping view over lake and town.

Cardada & Cimetta

From Orselina, a cable car (redesigned by architect Mario Botta) rises to Cardada (~1,340 m), and a chairlift continues to Cimetta (~1,670 m) — where, on a clear day, you can see both the lowest point in Switzerland (Lake Maggiore) and the highest (Dufourspitze) at once.

The lake, Ascona & the valleys

Boats cross Lake Maggiore to the Brissago Islands and along the shore. Just across the Maggia river, the colourful car-free promenade of Ascona is a 10-minute bus or boat ride away. The dramatic Verzasca and Maggia valleys, and the scenic Centovalli railway toward Italy, are all close.

Where to stay

Locarno is small and walkable, with the lake at its front. The main choices:

• Lakefront / Piazza Grande (centre): the classic base — by the promenade, the boats and the festival action, walkable to everything.
• Muralto (by the station): handy for arrivals, still right on the lakefront with hotels and lake views.
• Orselina (above town): quieter and elevated, by Madonna del Sasso and the Cardada cable car, with panoramic views.
• Ascona: the pretty lakeside village nearby, a relaxed alternative a short hop across the river.

Locarno ranges from simple guesthouses to belle-époque and four-star lakefront hotels; rates climb sharply during the film festival and high summer, and are better value in spring and autumn. The comparison below pulls live rates for your dates.

Hotels in Locarno — live map

Explore where hotels sit around Locarno, with live prices for your dates. Drag, zoom and click a marker to book.

Nearby destinations

Locarno anchors the Lake Maggiore corner of Ticino:

• Lugano — the larger Ticino lake city, a short hop south
• Lucerne — over the Gotthard toward central Switzerland
• St. Moritz — reachable across the Alps to the east

See all 16 Swiss destinations →