Morcote is called «Perle des Ceresio» and rightly so. The charming, former fishing village nestling on a headland of the Ceresio on the shores of Lago di Lugano is totally enchanting, with its picturesque veranda-adorned houses reflected in the calm waters.

During the tourist season, Morcote is one of the most visited excursion destinations around the Lago di Lugano – and from a boat, doubtless one of the most photographed subjects in the Ticino. Narrow lanes with richly decorated Palazzi are characteristic of the centre of the small village, where wealthy families have built their mansions since the Middle Ages.

A stairway with over 400 steps leads directly up to the Santa Maria del Sasso pilgrimage church, which is enthroned above the village. The church dates from the 13th century, but was given its baroque character in the 18th century. Precious Renaissance frescoes and a valuable organ with a prized wooden casing can be admired in the interior.

The Parco Scherrer is an oasis of peace and well-worth visiting. The park is rich in subtropical vegetation: palm trees, camellia, wisteria, oleander, cedars, cypresses, camphor, eucalyptus, magnolias, azalea, orange and lemon trees, bamboo and many other flowering and wonderfully fragrant plants grow here. The St. Gallen textile merchant Arthur Scherrer was a romantic and passionate landscape gardener and here created his own, sometimes rather kitschy, fantasy world.

The «Weg der Sinne» (Path of the Senses) at Morcote is dedicated to the perceptive powers of our sensory organs: smell, hearing, taste, sight and touch. The tour leads along old paths to 20 spots in the surrounding woodland, always with beautiful views of Lago di Lugano. Another popular hike leads from San Salvatore (funicular from Lugano Paradiso) via Carona along the hills of the Ceresio down to Morcote.

Other nearby excursion destinations are the open-air miniature world of the «Swissminiature» in Melide or the Hesse Museum in Montagnola on the opposite side of the hill, a small intimate museum on author Hermann Hesse, who wrote and lived for over half a century in Southern Switzerland.

Highlights

• Santa Maria del Sasso - the 400 steps to the pilgrimage church are worth scaling for the fabulous views and precious Renaissance frescoes inside the church.
• Parco Scherrer - exotic plants and miniature buildings from all over the world award this park its charismatic charm. Set on a slope affording superb views.
• Lago di Lugano – stretches its arms into Italian territory and is surrounded by many scenic mountains. A lake cruise offers the chance to discover the diversity of the region.
• Hesse Museum in Montagnola – small intimate museum on author and adopted son of the Ticino Hermann Hesse, who wrote and lived in Southern Switzerland for over half a century.