Weekend in Ticino

Friday afternoon, on our way to South, we stopped in Bellinzona, the capital of Ticino, which acts as a gateway to the Italian part of Switzerland. The skyline of the town is powered by 3 fortifications, well-preserved medieval castles which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

After a short hiking up to the castles, we continued our way to Lake Maggiore, where we visited the popular holiday destinations of Locarno and Ascona. We spent the night in a camping with a wonderful view on the charming, sunny bay of the Lake.

(The Promenade in Ascona)

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Next day we visited the Verzasca Valley, one of the most fascinating ones in Ticino. The Verzasca dam at the entrance to the valley is where James Bond once jumped 220m attached to no more than a rubber rope and where one can experience the "007 Bungee Jump" which lasts exactly 71/2 seconds… you can find a short movie on a real bungee jumping (and some photos) here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/gulliver.gyenge/VerzascaDamValley

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Then we spent the rest of the day in Lugano, the largest town in the holiday region of Ticino. With Mediterranean flair, Lugano offers all the advantages of a world-class city, combined with the flavor of a small town.

(Greetings from the Lugano lake)