{"id":9589,"date":"2018-12-26T03:18:52","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T11:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/?p=9589"},"modified":"2019-03-09T15:59:57","modified_gmt":"2019-03-09T23:59:57","slug":"part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 2:  Locarno, Switzerland \u2013 Hidden Gem With Endless Hours of Sunshine"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_9584\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9584\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9584\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ascona-Promenade.jpg\" alt=\"colorful Mediterranean-style buildings along a promenade in Ascona\" width=\"850\" height=\"479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ascona-Promenade.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ascona-Promenade-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ascona-Promenade-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ascona-Promenade-768x433.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9584\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Strolling along the path adjacent to Lake Maggiore, one can stop at a charming cafe for wine or an espresso and take in the beauty of the colorful Mediterranean-style buildings dotting the promenade.<\/span> Courtesy Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>DAY 3:<\/strong>\u00a0 Fortified with a most satisfying breakfast I was ready to greet this day with great enthusiasm for what lay ahead on my itinerary.\u00a0 <strong>Stefania Casellini<\/strong>, my guide for part of the day, picked me up at the <strong>Hotel Garni Du Lac<\/strong> at precisely <strong>10:00<\/strong> am.\u00a0 Anyone who knows me can vouch for the fact that I am extremely punctual, almost to a fault, sometimes arriving an hour before the appointed time.\u00a0 My theory is I\u2019d rather be early than arrive late with adrenalin coursing through my veins.\u00a0 I know they secretly make fun of me behind my back but I\u2019ve never missed a curtain, train, plain, bus, etc., so being early has quite a bit of merit.\u00a0 Ah.\u00a0 Now back to the subject at hand.\u00a0 The lovely <strong>Stefania <\/strong>whisked me away in her car and we were off to visit the quaint town of <strong>Ascona<\/strong> in the district of <a href=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/\"><strong>Locarno<\/strong><\/a> where we strolled along the promenade adjacent to beautiful <strong>Lake Maggiore.<\/strong>\u00a0 Along the way, we stopped at one of the charming cafes that dotted the path for a glass of wine.\u00a0 While enjoying our beverages, I admired the beauty of the surrounding buildings with their warm <strong>Mediterranean<\/strong>-style architecture.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9596\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9596\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9596\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Metal-Sculptures.jpg\" alt=\"metal and stone sculptures for sale at a version of a farmer\u2019s market\" width=\"520\" height=\"693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Metal-Sculptures.jpg 520w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Metal-Sculptures-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9596\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Whimsical metal and stone sculptures for sale at a version of a farmer\u2019s market.<\/span> Photo: Lady Beverly Cohn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As we strolled along, we encountered a vendor from <strong>ARO Trend<\/strong> who was selling whimsical sculptures made out of stone and metal.\u00a0 I did restrain my instinct to buy a piece when I realized I couldn\u2019t even fit a paper napkin in my already jammed suitcase.\u00a0 Although we were not there at sunset, one could only imagine what a magnificent sight that would be.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the car, we now headed to the hilltop iconic <a href=\"http:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel-gary.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Monte Verit\u00e0 <\/strong><\/a>in the town of <strong>Ascona<\/strong>, which began as a colony for artists and intellectuals in the early <strong>20th <\/strong>century.\u00a0\u00a0 Today, it is a conference center and hotel.\u00a0 An easy uphill stroll, stops along the winding path included the <strong>Tea Garden,<\/strong> <strong>Tea Plantation,<\/strong> a <strong>Japanese Tea<\/strong> <strong>House,<\/strong> and a <strong>Zen Garden,<\/strong> a perfect setting for a quiet time to reflect.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9597\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9597\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9597\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Mandala-at-Chiara\u2019s-Rainbow.jpg\" alt=\"writer at the large Mandala at the end of Chiara\u2019s Rainbow\" width=\"520\" height=\"625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Mandala-at-Chiara\u2019s-Rainbow.jpg 520w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Mandala-at-Chiara\u2019s-Rainbow-250x300.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9597\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">As I walked the winding path culminating with the large Mandala at the end of \u201cChiara\u2019s Rainbow,\u201d I could feel the energy emanating from the earth below.<\/span> Photo by: Stefania Casellini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Still retaining a somewhat mystical or spiritual presence, the back lawn is the site of <strong>\u201cChiara\u2019s Rainbow,\u201d<\/strong> a path consisting of curving lines that were constructed on the basis of the relationship between people\u2019s physical and mental health.\u00a0 As I slowly walked the maze, I could feel energy emanating from the earth below, which culminated at the rather large <strong>Mandala, <\/strong>said to be the point with the highest electromagnetic radiation representing the dawn of consciousness and purification of the soul.\u00a0 Although I could not confirm this, I was told that the <strong>Locarno <\/strong>region is situated where the <strong>Teutonic <\/strong>plates of <strong>Europe<\/strong> and <strong>Africa<\/strong> meet and is one of the vortex centers in <strong>Europe.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9588\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9588\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9588\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Termali-Salini-Spa.jpg\" alt=\"interior of the Termali Salini and Spa\" width=\"850\" height=\"568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Termali-Salini-Spa.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Termali-Salini-Spa-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Termali-Salini-Spa-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Termali-Salini-Spa-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9588\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The unique interior of Termali Salini &amp; Spa is designed both horizontally and vertically so the cascading water flows from one level to the next.<\/span> Courtesy Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Being the gracious hosts that <strong>Ascona-Locarno Tourism<\/strong> are, I was treated to a soothing \u201ctime-out,\u201d a wonderful break in the packed schedule to enjoy a luscious massage at the gorgeous <strong>Termali Salini &amp; Spa.<\/strong>\u00a0 Upon entering the building, which overlooks <strong>Lake Maggiore<\/strong>, one is immediately struck with the relaxing aromas that please your senses.\u00a0 This unique modern, somewhat abstract structure incorporates the feel of the <strong>Ticino <\/strong>river valleys and features alcoves, caves and waterfalls that you can enjoy while feasting your eyes on the vistas that lie before you.\u00a0 What sets this center of relaxation apart from other spas is that the interior differs in that it is laid out not only horizontally, but also vertically so that you can bathe in cascading waters, which flow from one level to the next.\u00a0 If you want to get the feel of swimming in an ocean, saltwater pools are outside.\u00a0 During your stay in <strong>Locarno,<\/strong> you must put this oasis of tranquility on your list of places to enjoy.\u00a0 Like a finely tuned <strong>Swiss <\/strong>watch, <strong>Lorenza Scamara, <\/strong>the dedicated representative from <strong>Ascona-Locarno Tourism<\/strong> who looked after me during my stay, arrived at the precise appointed hour to retrieve a most relaxed me and we were off for yet another delicious dinner where we enjoyed a lively conversation about the day\u2019s events and reviewed the itinerary for the next day.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9586\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9586\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9586\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Hotel-Belvedere.jpg\" alt=\"the 5-Star Belvedere Hotel\" width=\"850\" height=\"638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Hotel-Belvedere.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Hotel-Belvedere-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Hotel-Belvedere-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Hotel-Belvedere-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9586\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The stunning 5-Star Belvedere Hotel.<\/span> Courtesy Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9587\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9587\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9587\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Michele-Rinaldini.jpg\" alt=\"Director Michele Rinaldini of Hotel Belvedere\" width=\"520\" height=\"520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Michele-Rinaldini.jpg 520w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Michele-Rinaldini-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Michele-Rinaldini-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Michele-Rinaldini-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9587\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Michele Rinaldi invited me to join him for lunch at the elegant 5-Star Hotel Belevedere where he serves as the director.<\/span> Photo: Lady Beverly Cohn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>DAY 4<\/strong>:\u00a0 Today I would say goodbye to the wonderful staff of <strong>Hotel Garni du Lac<\/strong> \u2013 a three-star hotel with five-star hospitality.\u00a0 <strong>Lorenza <\/strong>arrived shortly after breakfast and off we went to the <strong>5-Star Hotel Belvedere,<\/strong> reachable by car or by funicular, a much more scenic form of transportation.\u00a0 We were greeted by <strong>Gloria Spagnoli,<\/strong> the hotel\u2019s sales and marketing manager, who gave us a brief tour of the rooms.\u00a0 I do have to admit that there is a marked difference in the number of stars awarded to a hotel and <strong>Hotel Belvedere<\/strong> deserves everyone of those coveted stars.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Director,<\/strong> <strong>Michele Rinaldi,<\/strong> who took over hotel operations less than a year ago, joined us for lunch in the hotel\u2019s <strong>Restaurant La Fontana.<\/strong>\u00a0 I asked him what inspired him to take this challenging position and he said, \u201cI\u2019ve been in the hotel business for <strong>30 <\/strong>years and was looking for a new challenge.\u201d\u00a0 He shared that he would be very measured in making changes before getting to know the staff, adding, \u2018With the enormous demands made on one\u2019s time, you have to be passionate and willing to give the long hours required of this work.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9583\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9583\" style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9583\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Verzasca-Valley-Dam.jpg\" alt=\"Verzasca Valley Dam, also known as the Contra Dam\" width=\"540\" height=\"405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Verzasca-Valley-Dam.jpg 540w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Verzasca-Valley-Dam-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9583\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Verzasca Valley Dam, also known as the Contra Dam, one of Europe\u2019s tallest \u2013 an eye-popping 720-foot soaring structure where only the bravest of the brave bungee jump from the world\u2019s highest fixed bungee-jumping platform.<\/span> Courtesy Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>My next adventure was a visit to the <strong>Valley Verzasca,<\/strong> part of the <strong>Locarno <\/strong>region, which as a reminder is in the <strong>Italian-<\/strong>speaking region of <strong>Switzerland<\/strong>. The population of less than <strong>4,200<\/strong> covers eight municipalities &#8211; <strong>Mergoscia, Vogorno,<\/strong> <strong>Corippo, Lavertezzo, Brione, Gerra, Frasco, <\/strong>and<strong> Sonogno.<\/strong> \u00a0It is framed by the <strong>Alps <\/strong>on one side, a lake on the other, and its radiant emerald green river, which adds to the valley\u2019s beauty. The region is home to the <strong>Verzasca Valley Dam<\/strong>, also known as the <strong>Contra Dam<\/strong>, one of<strong> Europe\u2019s<\/strong> tallest &#8211; an eye-popping <strong>720<\/strong>-foot soaring structure where only the bravest of the brave bungee jump from the world\u2019s highest fixed bungee-jumping platform.\u00a0 Certainly add this to your <strong>Locarno <\/strong>itinerary as watching someone jump upside down is a heart-thumping visual experience.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9585\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9585\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9585\" src=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Bev-Cohn-Ethan-Hawke.jpg\" alt=\"the writer at the Red Carpet at the Locarno Film Festival; Ethan Hawke\" width=\"850\" height=\"567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Bev-Cohn-Ethan-Hawke.jpg 850w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Bev-Cohn-Ethan-Hawke-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Bev-Cohn-Ethan-Hawke-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Bev-Cohn-Ethan-Hawke-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9585\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">LEFT: That\u2019s your journalist me on the Red Carpet at the Locarno Film Festival.<\/span> Photo by: Lorenza Scamara. <span style=\"font-size: small;\">RIGHT: Ethan Hawke was feted with the festival\u2019s 2018 Excellence Award for his film \u201cBlaze,\u201d which co-wrote, starred in, and directed.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Back at the hotel, I took a refreshing shower and dressed for a sumptuous private <strong>VIP <\/strong>dinner at <strong>Ascona-Locarno<\/strong> <strong>Lounge <\/strong>where we had a welcome drink followed by a delicious three-course dinner.\u00a0 We then strolled over to the <strong>Piazza Grande,<\/strong> the awesome outdoor site of the <strong>Locarno Film Festival<\/strong> where I had the pleasure of walking the <strong>Red Carpet.<\/strong> The film that evening was the international premiere of <strong>Ethan Hawke\u2019s \u201cBlaze,\u201d<\/strong> a film based on the life of country musician <strong>Blaze Foley,<\/strong> which <strong>Hawke<\/strong> co-wrote, starred in and directed.\u00a0 He was feted with the festival\u2019s <strong>2018 <\/strong><strong>Excellence Award<\/strong> for his film.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 5:\u00a0 <\/strong>With my trip winding down tomorrow, today was a rather light day.\u00a0 <strong>Ethan Hawke <\/strong>gave a press conference which journalists from around the world attended.\u00a0 He was quite humble and very open about the personal psychological challenges he faced on his journey to success.\u00a0 He talked about his confidence as an actor and how it was somewhat tied to a director\u2019s view of him.\u00a0 If a director believes in him, \u201cI become the best version of myself,\u201d and conversely if he doesn\u2019t get that from a direction, \u201cI become less than whom I can be.\u201d*\u00a0 The rest of the day was a relaxing stroll around town, shooting photos, and enjoying another delicious dinner and lively conversation with wonderful <strong>Lorenza.<\/strong>\u00a0 After dinner it was back to the <strong>Belvedere<\/strong> to pack for my departure <strong>5:00<\/strong> am the next morning.\u00a0 Although we didn\u2019t have time to explore the neighboring <strong>Lugano<\/strong> or <strong>Bellinzona,<\/strong> the capital of <strong>Ticino<\/strong>, I would definitely put that on your list when you book your trip.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 6:<\/strong>\u00a0 As I mentioned in <strong>Part 1<\/strong> of this feature on <strong>Locarno<\/strong>, I found taking three trains with my luggage, carry-on, and a purse just a bit too much to navigate.\u00a0 Also, anyone who knows me knows that I have a definite deficit when it comes to a sense of direction and indeed, usually go in the opposite direction of where I need to be.\u00a0 So, I didn\u2019t want to face the same challenge that I had on arrival in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/3-things-zurich-switzerland\/\">Zurich<\/a>,<\/strong> which was taking an elevator and traversing flights of stairs to find the next two tracks.\u00a0 To alleviate my anticipated stress, I made arrangements with a lovely young woman to accompany me back to <strong>Zurich <\/strong>where she deposited me safely at the check-in counter of <strong>American Airlines.<\/strong>\u00a0 It was worth the extra expense to end my delightful <strong>Locarno<\/strong> adventures with a most pleasant, stress-free train ride.<\/p>\n<p>Just a reminder, I strongly urge you to avoid the <strong>Philadelphia <\/strong>airport as your first port of entry.\u00a0 After I retrieved my luggage and went through customs, I found there is no conveyer belt to recheck the luggage to my connecting flight to LAX.\u00a0 I had to walk to three terminals away which was difficult.\u00a0 I will never forget the image of this Indian family \u2013 husband, wife and three children \u2013 all schlepping luggage \u2013 and searching for the connecting terminal.\u00a0 A nightmare, so avoid it at all costs.\u00a0 The unpleasant re-entry into the <strong>U.S.<\/strong> did not in any way alter my very special <strong>Ascona<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>Locarno<\/strong> experience and the gracious manner in which I was treated.\u00a0 The region is aptly referred to as <strong>\u201cThe Mediterranean Soul of Switzerland\u201d<\/strong> and, indeed, it truly is.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bdaia-separator se-single\" style=\"margin-top:30px !important;margin-bottom:30px !important;\"><\/div>\n<p>*<em>Stay tuned for more details of that interview.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Refresh your memory regarding the material covered in Part 1<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"bdaia-separator se-single\" style=\"margin-top:30px !important;margin-bottom:30px !important;\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.saporiedissapori.ch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Grotto della Fontana<\/a><br \/>\nVia Madonna della Fontana<br \/>\nAscona, Switzerland 6612<br \/>\nPhone: +41 91 791 12 09<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.termali-salini.ch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Termali Salini &amp; Spa<\/a><br \/>\nVia G. Respini 7, L<br \/>\nLocarno 6600, Switzerland<br \/>\nPhone: +41 91 786 96 96<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.belvedere-locarno.com\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hotel Belvedere<\/a><br \/>\nVia ai Monti della Trinit\u00e0 4<br \/>\nCH-6600 Locarno, Switzerland<br \/>\nPhone: +41 91 751 03 63; Fax: +41 91 751 52<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ascona-locarno.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Verzasca Dam<\/a><br \/>\n\u202aDiga della Verzasca<br \/>\n6632 Vogorno, Switzerland<br \/>\nPhone: +41 91 780 78 00<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.illagomaggiore.com\/en_US\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lake Maggiore<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ascona-locarno.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ascona-Locarno Tourism<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The lovely Stefania whisked me away in her car and we were off to visit the quaint town of Ascona in the district of Locarno where we strolled along the promenade adjacent to beautiful Lake Maggiore.  Along the way, we stopped at one of the charming cafes that dotted the path for a glass of wine. While enjoying our beverages, I admired the beauty of the surrounding buildings with their warm Mediterranean-style architecture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":9584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[1914,1916,1920,1918,1698,1697,1915,20,1917,1919],"class_list":["post-9589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-travel","tag-ascona","tag-chiaras-rainbow","tag-ethan-hawke","tag-hotel-belvedere","tag-lake-maggiore","tag-locarno","tag-monte-verita","tag-switzerland","tag-termali-salini-spa","tag-valley-verzasca"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Part 2: Ascona, Locarno - Switzerland&#039;s Hidden Gem - Traveling Boy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ascona, Locarno sits along beautiful Lake Maggiore and contributes to the Locarno region&#039;s reputation as &#039;The Mediterranean Soul of Switzerland.&#039;\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Part 2: Ascona, Locarno - Switzerland&#039;s Hidden Gem - Traveling Boy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ascona, Locarno sits along beautiful Lake Maggiore and contributes to the Locarno region&#039;s reputation as &#039;The Mediterranean Soul of Switzerland.&#039;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Traveling Archive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-12-26T11:18:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-03-09T23:59:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ascona-Promenade.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"850\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"479\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lady Beverly Cohn: The Road to Hollywood\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lady Beverly Cohn: The Road to Hollywood\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lady Beverly Cohn: The Road to Hollywood\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/#\/schema\/person\/ee4751688e1a952ceb7089f73343fced\"},\"headline\":\"Part 2: Locarno, Switzerland \u2013 Hidden Gem With Endless Hours of Sunshine\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-26T11:18:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-03-09T23:59:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/\"},\"wordCount\":1921,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/part-2-locarno-switzerland-hidden-gem\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Ascona-Promenade.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Ascona\",\"Chiara\u2019s Rainbow\",\"Ethan Hawke\",\"Hotel Belvedere\",\"Lake Maggiore\",\"Locarno\",\"Monte Verit\u00e0\",\"Switzerland\",\"Termali Salini &amp; 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