Villas in Locarno
Locarno suits lakeside summer holidays at the northeastern tip of Lake Maggiore, with a funicular up to Madonna del Sasso. The trade-off is festival time: the first two weeks of August bring open-air film screenings to the Piazza Grande.
- Villas
- 101
- From, per week
- £311
About Locarno
Locarno is a town of about 16,000 people on the Lake Maggiore shore at 209 metres, with a wider agglomeration of around 56,000 including Ascona. Our homes sit close to the centre. It is one of the warmest and wettest places in Switzerland, with a humid subtropical climate, about 2,170 hours of sunshine and nearly 1,900 mm of rain a year. The Castello Visconteo, from the 12th century, stands at the edge of the old town and has held the city museum since 1920. The lake promenade and the old-town restaurants fill the evenings. Above town in Orselina, the Madonna del Sasso sanctuary is the main sight, reached by funicular, with a cable car on to Cardada at 1,340 metres.
Is Locarno right for you?
- Best for
- Lake Maggiore swimming weeks, old-town evenings and easy day trips
- Not for you if
- You want a dry summer: Locarno is among the wettest places in Switzerland.
Near Locarno
Ascona
Across the Maggia delta, with Monte Verità on the hill behind and the Ascona Jazz Festival held every year.
Brissago Islands
Two islands about 1 km off the shore, with a 2.5 hectare botanical garden of roughly 1,500 plant species.
Madonna del Sasso
The sanctuary in Orselina above town, linked to the centre by funicular, with a cable car up to Cardada.
Getting to Locarno
Locarno airport is military only, so use Milan Malpensa, 114 km south, or Zurich. From Zurich Airport, trains via Bellinzona take under three hours. Lugano airport is the other option, with a bus and train on to Locarno. The station is in Muralto, and trains and lake boats make a car optional.
When to go to Locarno
The Moon and Stars music festival runs in July, and the Locarno Festival fills the first two weeks of August, with the biggest open-air screen in Europe on Piazza Grande. Rain is a risk in any month, since this is one of the wettest corners of Switzerland. Summer is the lake season, and in spring and autumn the funicular and the Cardada cable car make easy outings above town.
Villas in Locarno
4-star property
LaVille A-4-3
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
4
2
0
ParkingDishwasherWashing Machine+6 more
from£76
per night
4-star property
LaVille B-3-2
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
6
3
0
ParkingDishwasherWashing Machine+6 more
from£114
per night
4-star property
5-star property
Residenza Vivian - Swan Lake Suite Apt. 304
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
3
1
0
ParkingDishwasherMicrowave+8 more
from£148
per night
4-star property
1-Bedroom Home, Locarno
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
4
1
0
ParkingDishwasherWashing Machine+6 more
3-star property
Rex App. 3
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
4
1
0
DishwasherMicrowaveParking+5 more
from£81
per night
3-star property
3-star property
Lido App. 46
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
4
2
0
ParkingDishwasherFridge+6 more
from£106
per night
3-star property
3-star property
Appartamento 2- Giardino
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
2
1
0
ParkingGardenTerrace+6 more
from£64
per night
3-star property
5-star property
4-star property
5-star property
5-star property
4-star property
5-star property
5-star property
5-star property
5-star property
5-star property
5-star property
5-star property
5-star property
Residenza Muralto-Lago
Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland
2
2
0
DishwasherWashing MachineInternet+6 more
Locarno villa holidays: questions answered
Is Locarno good for a lake holiday?
Yes. Locarno sits on the northern shore at the northeastern tip of Lake Maggiore, with a lakefront promenade and boat trips. The old town lies just behind the Piazza Grande, with the castle at its edge.
Locarno or Ascona for a holiday home?
Locarno is the larger town, with the station and the old town, while Ascona is smaller, about 5,500 people, across the Maggia delta. Ascona has the jazz festival and Monte Verità, and Locarno has the film festival and the funicular.
Which airport is best for Locarno?
Locarno's own airport is military only, so look at Milan Malpensa, 114 km to the south, or Lugano, with a bus and train on to Locarno. From Zurich Airport, trains via Bellinzona take under three hours.
When is the Locarno Film Festival?
It is held every year in August, in the first two weeks of the month. The open-air screenings take place on Piazza Grande, which is the biggest open-air screen in Europe.
Does it rain a lot in Locarno?
Yes, more than most of Switzerland. Locarno has a humid subtropical climate and receives about 1,900 mm of precipitation a year, alongside about 2,170 hours of sunshine, so showers and bright spells both occur.
Nearby towns to Locarno
Written by the TrustedVillas team. Last reviewed October 2026.
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