This mountain near Lugano is the easiest way to get panorama views over the Lake Lugano region. It's fun getting to the top, riding a vintage funicular 1,630 metres (5,350 ft) up the mountain.

Then a short walk up to the panorama viewing area over Lake Lugano, safely enclosed by a fence. There's a tiny church on the top of this mountain. With a little extra effort, you can climb some narrow steps to the church roof for the best viewpoint.

Make sure to take the classic photo of you standing on the church stairs, looking towards the bridge and Italian border.

Just below the viewpoint, there is a restaurant with a nice outdoor terrace (reservations recommended), small playground, and museum featuring religious art and geological exhibition.

Several hikes start here, including the popular route to Morcote, the “most beautiful village in Switzerland.”

How to get there

By public transport: Take a a train to Lugano-Paradiso then a 5 mins walk to the funicular station.

From the Lugano main train station, you could also take bus 2 to Paradiso, Geretta bus stop, then a 2 min walk to the funicular station. 

By car: The San Salvatore funicular is located at Via delle Scuole 7, 6900 Paradiso. There is metered parking directly in front of the funicular station.

Hiking options

At the top of the San Salvatore funicular, it’s a short 5 min walk up to the panorama terrace. You don’t need to hike at all to enjoy the views.

If you want to hike, the most popular option is hiking across the mountain to the Morcote village. Then you can return by boat back to Lugano. It’s about 3 hours of walking, 9.2 km, with 190 m ascent and 740 m descent. See hiking map.

See more San Salvatore hiking options.

• More info on SwissFamilyFun.com