Porlezza (east tip, Italy)
Most of our Lake Lugano properties are in and around Porlezza, a small town in the province of Como at the eastern tip of the lake. It has a lakefront promenade, swimming spots and summer boats to Lugano. A cycle path follows the old railway line west to Menaggio on Lake Como, around 12 kilometres away. Milan Malpensa and Linate are each around an hour and a half by car.
Best for: Families who want a lakeside town, beaches and easy trips to Lake Como
Not for you if: You want a quiet lake in August: Porlezza fills with Italian and northern European families.
Carlazzo and the Lago di Piano (above Porlezza, Italy)
Carlazzo spreads over the low hills just north-east of Porlezza, with hamlets scattered among woods and meadows. The small Lago di Piano, a nature reserve in a reedy hollow, has a flat path around it that suits children and cyclists, and the Val Cavargna rises behind towards the Swiss border. Houses here tend to have more outdoor space than in the lake towns. Porlezza is five to ten minutes away.
Best for: Space, quiet and walks a short drive from the lake
Not for you if: You want to walk to the water: these hamlets sit inland, and a car is needed.
Osteno (south shore, Italy)
Osteno is a small village on the south shore of the lake's eastern arm, a few minutes west of Porlezza, with steep woods behind it rising to the Val d'Intelvi. The houses face north across the water to the Valsolda shore. Roads up into the Intelvi valley lead to walks and viewpoints over Lake Lugano and Lake Como.
Best for: Lake views and quiet evenings
Not for you if: You want shops and restaurants close by: Osteno is a small village with very little open.
Valsolda (north shore, Italy)
The Valsolda villages line the north shore between Porlezza and the Swiss border, including San Mamete, Albogasio and Oria. At Oria, Villa Fogazzaro Roi, run by the FAI heritage trust, is the setting of Antonio Fogazzaro's novel Piccolo mondo antico. Gandria, on the Swiss side, is a short drive or boat hop away, and Lugano is around 20 minutes by car.
Best for: Couples who want old lake villages and a gentle walk into Switzerland
Not for you if: You don't like narrow roads: the lakeside road is tight and parking is scarce.
Porto Ceresio and Lavena Ponte Tresa (south-western arm, Italy)
Porto Ceresio, in the province of Varese, has a lakefront, a small harbour and a direct train to Milan, around an hour and a quarter. Monte San Giorgio, a UNESCO site known for its fossils, rises across the water. Lavena Ponte Tresa faces the Swiss town of Ponte Tresa across the Tresa river, where the narrow-gauge train reaches Lugano in around 20 minutes. Milan Malpensa is under an hour away.
Best for: Lakeside stays with trains to Milan and Lugano
Not for you if: You want to be close to Lake Como: it is over an hour away from here.
