A Weekend in Ascona-Locarno

In Switzerland they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock!

Graham Greene

To continue my series on Weekend breaks, this week we’re off to Ascona-Locarno. Now I know after Seville and Barcelona this may sound like an odd place however, if you want a relaxing weekend in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, this is the place to be! It’s one of those places that, if you just want to chill out and do very little, the tranquillity of the place lends itself to this, if however, you want to see stuff, like art or culture, the place also lends itself to this also. Here’s a few ideas;

Ghisla Art Collection Foundation

The Fondazione Ghisla Art Collection was established in April 2014 with the clear vision to make an artistic collection of international significance accessible to the public, to share it with everyone who appreciates the timeless value of art. The futuristic building housing the collection was designed by Locarno architects Moro & Moro and is located in the town centre just a short walk from the harbour.

The current season opens with a new selection of works from the Ghisla collection on the first two floors of the museum. Here visitors can embark on a journey through works by the major exponents of modern and contemporary art of the last 80 years. Basquiat, Picasso, Miró, Magritte, Lichtenstein, Warhol, Haring, Rosenquist, Botero, Bonalumi, Tàpies and Dubuffet are just some of the artists whose works are on display.

The second floor, instead, hosts the temporary exhibition devoted to the works of Alessandro Twombly. His art charms and involves the visitor, whilst intriguing and surprising, often eluding us, as well: difficult, if not impossible to seize it in the fist of a single definition, positioning it in a box that might delimit it according to definite themes and forms: for it is not uniform but plural by nature.

Monte Verità – Casa del Tè

Just outside Ascona you’ll find a something of a surprise because right there on the mountainside is the only tea plantation on the European continent! Here there are about 1,400 plants and they produce about 3 kg of tea in a year's work! This is a demonstration plantation to show how tea is produced.

Every year, on the Ascension weekend, they organise an event dedicated to the harvesting and production of tea. Specialists and enthusiasts come here from all over Asia and it becomes a bit of a party!

Another experience not to be missed here is the Japanese tea ceremony. It's an art form! In the Japanese tea ceremony, the ideal moment of being is created, according to Buddhist rules. At first, it seems impenetrable and very rigid. It has many rules, but it is considered to be one of the most elaborate ways to welcome a guest.

The Brissago Islands - Botanical garden

DESCRIPTION FEATURES SEE ALSO

The Brissago Islands are the Canton Ticino's botanical park. The little island (Isola Piccola or St. Apollinaire) is covered with spontaneous vegetation, mostly from the Insubrica region, kept in its natural state. On the big island (Isola Grande or St. Pancrazio), which was opened to the public in 1950, mostly subtropical plants with origins from the northern and southern hemisphere are grown.

In 1885 the baroness Antoinette Saint Leger transformed the islands into a residence where painters, sculptors, musicians and writers could meet. The big island became an exotic garden. In 1927 the new owner, the businessman Max Emden from Hamburg, had the actual palazzo, the dock and Roman bath built and increased the cultivation of exotic plants.

The botanic park offers impressions of exotic subtropical countries. Azaleas, rhododendrons, Japanese palm trees, numerous camellias, Japanese banana, bamboo, the Ginkgo transport the visitor to the Far East. The group of South African plants surprises with. The Central America zone offers a completely different scenario with large-flowered magnolia, agaves, cypress (present from the 30s with the typical roots sticking out from the water), yucca, California poppies, sage from New Zealand transport the visitor to other continents. Sage, rosemary, cork, palm of the Canaries, represent the Mediterranean countryside.

The Brissago Islands are part of the Gardens of Switzerland network, which brings together the most beautiful gardens of Switzerland.

Termali Salini & Spa Locarno

Termali Salini & Spa Locarno is divided into four sections: Saunas, Baths, Spa & Treatment and Gastronomy. The multi-tiered baths (all saltwater) have been set up as a bathing ritual, where guests progress from one stage to the next and can enjoy optional treatments. Immerse yourself in another world and let the pressures of everyday life slip away.

Termali Salini & Spa Locarno is both a meeting point and a place of tranquillity and relaxation. The facility is unique for its spectacular lakeside location and its architecture, which reflects the famous Ticino river valleys in a modern, abstract design featuring alcoves, caves and waterfalls while showcasing the magnificent panorama. Experience a surreal sense of freedom when you gaze at the breath-taking view from one of the three exclusive private spas or the terrace on the top deck. In contrast, the multifaceted sauna area on the lower deck will make you feel as though you’ve been transported to an underwater world. Enjoy the sensation as you become one with it.

Unlike conventional baths, Termali Salini & Spa Locarno is laid out not only horizontally, but also vertically. Guests can bathe in pools cascading from one level into the next or luxuriate in a sauna world of nymphs and mermaids. You can also swim in the saltwater pools outside and savour tasty treats and healthy snacks in the bistro while delighting all over again in the stunning surroundings.

Ristorante Ecco

If you’ve followed my blog for any great length of time, you’ll know I’m a total foodie! So, it will be no surprise if I finish my little tour of Ascona-Locarno with my favourite eatery – it’s a little pricey, even for Swiss standards but OMG… it’s worth it! Sweet? Sour? Crunchy or melt-in-the-mouth? This restaurant has it all! The dishes in the Ristorante ECCO will impress you with their unusual aroma, combination of ingredients and composition. The Michelin Guide awarded two stars to Rolf Fliegauf for the Ristorante ECCO (and another two for the Restaurant ECCO on Snow), thus making him again the youngest Michelin-starred cook in Switzerland. Truly Fantastic!!

What’s on this week?