Revamped and expanded by Ticinese starchitect Mario Botta, Meride's Fossil Museum showcases vestiges of the first creatures to inhabit the region – reptiles and fish dating back more than 200 million years. It may sound dry but the finds are important enough to warrant Unesco recognition of the area around Monte San Giorgio (where they were uncovered) as a World Heritage Site. You're welcomed by a 2.5m long replica of a Ticinosuchus.
Museo dei Fossili
Lago di Lugano
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
21.17 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…
21.07 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…
13.08 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…
15.05 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…
26.3 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…
25.73 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
21.11 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…
20.89 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
1.57 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. Chiesa di Santa Maria del Sasso
2.93 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…
3.08 MILES
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…
4.21 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…
4.33 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…
4.34 MILES
Popping up between Italy and Switzerland, the 1704m peak of Monte Generoso has far-reaching views across a patchwork of lakes and mountains. The rack-and…
5.59 MILES
Following signs out of central Cernobbio, take the scenic drive that winds 17km up through the residential villages behind Cernobbio to Monte Bisbino …
5.96 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…