Set in subtropical parkland, Parco Scherrer, 400m west of the boat stop in Morcote, is the dream come true of textile merchant and art enthusiast Hermann Arthur Scherrer, who bought the land sloping down to the lake in 1930. Inspired by his travels, the gardens have a dash of the exotic, bristling with palms and oleanders, camellias and azaleas, cypresses and bamboo. Hidden among the foliage are replicas of grand buildings – from the Temple of Nefertiti to a Siamese teahouse.
© Stefano Ember/Shutterstock
Parco Scherrer
Lago di Lugano
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
19.36 MILES
Rising dramatically above the Old Town, this medieval stronghold is Bellinzona’s most visible icon. Head up Salita San Michele from Piazza Collegiata, or…
19.29 MILES
On cloudless days, you can see Lake Maggiore from this 13th-century hilltop fortification. The fortress is one of Bellinzona’s most impressive with its…
14.35 MILES
A 1km walk along the (partially wooded) lake shore from Lenno's main square, Villa Balbianello has cinematic pedigree: this was where scenes from Star…
16.13 MILES
The star of the show on a lake shore not bereft of elegant touches, the Villa Carlotta is a fabulous fusion of neoclassical architecture and harmonious…
29.37 MILES
Religious art museums are often dull, full of faded priestly vestments and tarnished silver that hasn’t been polished since the Risorgimento. But this…
28.81 MILES
In Monza's colossal park stands this equally colossal palace. Built between 1777 and 1780 as a viceregal residence for Archduke Ferdinand of Austria,…
Santuario della Madonna del Sasso
18.25 MILES
Overlooking the town, this sanctuary was built after the Virgin Mary supposedly appeared in a vision to a monk, Bartolomeo d’Ivrea, in 1480. There’s a…
19.14 MILES
From central Bellinzona, it’s a 3.5km hike south to the Castello di Sasso Corbaro. Perched high on a wooded hillside, the castle has an austere beauty…
Nearby Lago di Lugano attractions
1. Chiesa di Santa Maria del Sasso
0.17 MILES
It's a stiff 15-minute climb up a seemingly endless flight of steps to this church, lifted on a hilltop above the lake and easily identified by its…
2.02 MILES
Footpaths thread through these hilltop botanical gardens, which afford sensational lake and mountain views. In May the park is ablaze with the colour of…
2.06 MILES
Rising in a pyramid above Lake Lugano, 1097m Monte San Giorgio has become Ticino’s mountain of myth thanks to its rich stash of Triassic marine-life…
2.8 MILES
At Swissminiatur you’ll find 1:25 scale models of more than 120 national attractions. It’s the quick way to see Switzerland in a day. Trains run twice…
3.08 MILES
Revamped and expanded by Ticinese starchitect Mario Botta, Meride's Fossil Museum showcases vestiges of the first creatures to inhabit the region –…
3.92 MILES
Chomp into some cocoa culture at the Alprose chocolate museum, Schokoland – a sure-fire hit with kids. Whiz through chocolate history, watch the sugary…
4.08 MILES
Lugano's very own Sugarloaf Mountain, the 912m peak of Monte San Salvatore has riveting 360-degree views over Lago di Lugano and southern Ticino to the…
4.1 MILES
This museum showcases German-born Swiss poet, novelist and painter Herman Hesse's personal objects, including some of the thousands of watercolours he…