Things to do
WATER
Life in Ascona revolves around Lake Maggiore. This sparkling stretch of water is circled by cycle paths, chic lidos and even a golf course. But at the heart of this lake are the Brissago Islands – home to a unique botanical garden. A captivating little colony of mist-shrouded subtropical plants and bamboo forest, there’s something magical about the moment you discover there are old Roman baths here too.
HISTORY
Recent history centres around Monte Verità, or the Mountain of Truth. It was here in the 20th century that artists and deep thinkers flocked to form a creative colony. Walk the beautiful parkland, tracing Chiara’s Rainbow, a piece of public art said to connect mind and body – as views across Lake Maggiore complete the picture. Meanwhile in Toscolano, the Parish Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo is a medieval must for most visitors to Ascona. Art history and spirituality are interwoven in frescoes by Venetian painter Andrea Celesti, considered to be his magnum opus.
SPORTS
Between white-capped mountains and the deep blue of Lake Maggiore, the greens of Ascona set an inspiring scene. 18-hole Golf Ascona has been a fixture here since the roaring twenties, complete with sophisticated club house. Away from dry land, the waterways here are made for sailing trips, wakeboarding and paddleboarding. The Ascona Lido even has a waterpark for families looking to splash out.
