Lugano Nightlife
Although comparitevely small, Lugano is still considered a city and just like many other metropolises it offers visitors plenty of things to do after sunset. For example, in the centre of town amongst the tangle of narrow streets which lead away from the Piazzas you can find a variety of bars, cafes and pizzerias to choose from. While down near the water's edge you have a selection of fine restaurants where you can sit and enjoy a Ticinese meal while watching the sun set over the lake.
For those feeling lucky then there are two casinos in the area - one at the lake side in Lugano and the other on the opposite shore in the Italian town of Campione. But with a regular ferry service running across the lake it means that both the Lugano Casino and the one in Campione are an easy option for a night of sparkling entertainment.
Then there is the beautiful Lake Lugano itself which during the day is a hive of activity with windsurfers, scuba divers and sailing boats, but at night becomes an inspiring place for a romantic evening cruise. The ferry boats that busy themselves upon the water during the day arrange special evening cruises throughout the summer months, and it is from one of these that you get to savour the magic of Lake Lugano at night. You can wonder at the spectacle of the city lights from the calm, still waters of the lake.
Lugano also offers plenty in the way of cinema and movies, too. From the multiplex up in the centre of town to the open air cinema down in the Lido, there is a world of choice right on your doorstep.
To help you make your stay in Lugano more enjoyable we have put together details of the most popular nights out in the city - enjoy !
Casino Lugano
Via Stauffacher 1, PO Box 6482, 6901 Lugano
The glittering Lugano casino is licensed as an all games venue and boasts a line up of 350 slot
machines and 29 gaming tables. The casino is within easy reach of Lugano city centre and is found
a short distance along the lake shore in the direction of Gandria near the Parco Civico (Parco Ciani).
Its waterfront position ensures it has some amazing views across the lake with the most spectacular
ones to be seen from the casino's panoramic restaurant.
The casino dress code is smart/casual and proper footwear is a requirement - t-shirts, shorts, hats and sports shoes are not allowed. If you like you can still dress formally, and guests who do prefer to wear a smart suit and tie are always made to feel welcome.
Tables are open from 14.00 and close at 4.00 during the week, and at 5.00 on weekends. The Casino restaurant (La Perla del Lago) opens several hours before the gaming tables do so it's possible to enjoy a meal and the fine views of the lake from around 12.00 onwards.
The casino has also paid close attention to detail and taken into account the difficulty there sometimes is with parking in Lugano. As such it now offers valet parking where a team of uniformed staff ensure all guests cars are driven away and parked safely during their visit to the casino.
Nuovo Casino di Campione d'Italia
Piazzale Milan 2, 22060 Campione d'Italia (CO)
Across the lake from Lugano is the lavish new casino complex at Campione. Now billed as the largest in Europe it offers visitors an amazing 225 gaming machines, 30 tables (French rules), several restaurants, a bistro, bar and 800 seat concert venue which attracts a variety of top international stars.
Although the casino is geographically situated in Switzerland it is actually an Italian enclave and makes up part of the Lombardy region of Northern Italy.
The casino's dress code is fairly strict and guests are expected to wear a jacket, shirt and tie. If you visit the casino you also need to take with you an identity card or passport to gain entry into the complex. However you do not need to show a passport when entering the town of Campione as there are no formal frontier or border controls.
As Campione is across the lake from Lugano you can reach it by car or ferry. It is approximately 9km by road from Lugano and about 20 minutes by ferry. There is a regular ferry service that runs across the lake from Lugano to Campione.
Evening Cruise on Lake Lugano
From the end of June to the end of August you can catch an evening cruise that takes you on a leisurely trip around the lake. The boat leaves Lugano around 21.00 and returns around 22.45. The cruise take you on a journey to the picturesque town of Morcote and back, stopping along the way in Paradiso and Campione d'Italia.
Cinemas
- Open Air Cinema - Lido di Lugano (June 27 to Aug 27)
For part of the summer the Lido di Lugano is transformed into an open air cinema where you can see a selection of Hollywood movies. A different movie is played each night with screenings starting around 20.30 hrs. If you like the idea of watching a movie under a blanket of stars on a warm summer's evening then this is the venue for you. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Lugano Tourist office or online at the cinema's website - Tickets and Movie Schedule - CineStar SA, Via Ciani 100, 6900 Lugano
The Cine Star is a multi-screen cinema just a short distance from Lugano centre. It has 7 screens, seats 1200 and has plenty of parking space for visitors arriving there by car. Tickets can either be reserved by phone or at the cinema's website. Screening times and movie information can also be seen in the local Ticino/Lugano newspapers published every Friday - Tickets and Movie Schedule