Ascona

Ascona is a small town next to Locarno at the Lake Maggiore in Ticino.

Understand
Ascona was able to maintain its charm as a colony of artists and drop-out even as the touristy Locarno developed into a big tourist destination. Strict limitations for cars ensure that the main center of the town is car free. Its tranquil people make this town a calming and refreshing visit. The old buildings have been beautifully kept restored. Ascona is popular for day trips and boat tours to the Brissago Islands. The Lake Maggiore cools the town in summer and ensures a Mediterranean feeling in winter.

By public transport
Two bus lines connect Ascona to Locarno which are run by the public transport system FART. The Locarno railway station connects the area to the Swiss train network.
 * Bus 1 goes from Locarno to Ascona every 15 minutes.
 * Bus 316 goes to Brissago and stops at Ascona on the way. One trip per hour.

By car
Visitors from most of Switzerland will arrive from the east, taking one of the two bridges over the river Maggia. You can bypass the sometimes heavy traffic in Locarno using the Mappo-Morettina tunnel. To arrive from southwestern parts of Switzerland (e.g. Valais), it can be faster to take a shortcut through the Simplon Pass and the Italian town of Domodossola. A road on the western shore of Lake Maggiore also connects Ascona to the Italian region of Piedmont via Brissago.

The old town cannot generally be reached by car, but there are several public parking lots surrounding it. From any of these, it's a short walk to the lakefront.

By boat
Boats on Lake Maggiore stop at the Ascona boat dock in the middle of the old town. These can be a pleasant way to get into Ascona from Locarno, Brissago and the Italian towns on the lake.

By bike or on foot
The distance by bike or on foot from Piazza Grande, the main square of Locarno, to the Ascona old town is about 3 km. A pedestrian bridge, completed in 2020 and therefore not visible on some older maps, makes the trip easier for bikes and pedestrians. Bike rentals can be found in Locarno.

Get around
The town is best discovered on foot as small lanes are in general pedestrian only.

See

 * Lake promenade
 * Bagno pubblico - the public beach of Ascona

Buy
At the lakefront there are mostly hotels and restaurants, but the narrow pedestrian streets leading away from the lake have dozens of little stores where you can find almost anything.

Eat
There are numerous restaurants at the lakefront. In these, you'll generally have to pay for the view - which may well be worth it, as the view is very nice indeed. On the other hand, if you're only after food, you may find better value for your money a block or two inland.

Go next

 * Locarno is the next city, just across the river and offers all modes of transportation.
 * Losone is the neighboring town just upriver. It is mostly residential and less touristy than Ascona or Locarno, but there are several traditional Ticinese "grotto" restaurants there.