Extend summer at Villa Principe Leopoldo

Tentatively, the autumn sun rises behind the steeply sloping hills and lets Lake Lugano shine in a soft light, ray by beam. We enjoy the first rays of sunshine of the day on the balcony of our suite of Villa Principe Leopoldo. The historic house is enthroned at the top of the “Collina d’Oro” with a panoramic view over the bay of Lugano. The villa was built at the end of the 19th century as a summer residence for the family of Prince Friedrich Leopold, who lived here until his death in 1931. In 1986 the villa was converted into a 5-star hotel and today offers 37 spacious rooms in the villa and another 38 rooms in the neighbouring residence.

Our suite is located directly below the villa terrace with a wide window front to the lake, city, mountains and lots of greenery in the foreground. When you look out of the window, you almost get a jungle feeling. The room is divided into a sleeping and living area. Heavy fabrics and golden colour accents are reminiscent of the royal times, when the villa was the scene of an illustrious crowd of guests. An interesting detail is the mirrored wall on both sides in the living area, which is as irritating as it is suggesting a virtually infinite depth of the room.

When the balmy summer evenings on the northern side of the Alps are displaced by the morning mist, it’s that time of year again. Autumn is just around the corner. Not so in the sunshine of Switzerland. An autumn day starts at Villa Principe Leopoldo, just like a Sunday in midsummer. With breakfast on the terrace overlooking the pool and the lush green hills.

Afterwards you are spoilt for choice. What should we do today? A shopping trip to Lugano? A trip to the San Salvatore? Or a boat trip on Lake Lugano? We opt for the latter and take a boat from the Lugano Paradiso station for a hike to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site Monte San Giorgio. As magnificent as the location of the villa is, it is difficult for pedestrians to reach. Here in Lugano, for the first time in Switzerland, I am experiencing the paradoxical situation that car drivers have a more direct route than pedestrians. Simply because the construction of a pavement along the busy winding road from Paradiso to Collina Hoch was probably forgotten. Of course, it’s no surprise that we are also in the city with the highest degree of motorization in Switzerland. The villa is particularly popular among car enthusiasts. This can be seen in the fact that some – let’s say – “racy sleds” are parked on the right of way. For pedestrians like me, Villa Principe Leopoldo offers a shuttle bus to the city center of Lugano five times a day. That’s not really often and that’s why we tackle the route on foot despite the adversities. By the way, the hotel management told us that there seems to be a footpath, but it can only be walked on with a machete. That fits perfectly with the jungle feeling ;).

After the hike, we stroll along the pretty promenade of Paradiso towards the center. The frequently mentioned comparison of Lugano with Rio de Janeiro could not be more apt – at least in terms of landscape. From the promenade you have a good view of the striking peaks such as San Salvatore and Monte Brè.

Back at the villa, enjoyment is paramount. We fortify ourselves on the sun terrace with the legendary club sandwich (luckily I didn’t order the fries in view of the quantity) and a light salad. After that, I finally have the opportunity – for the very first time this season – to wear my new bikini. The rest of the afternoon we have a date with the pool. We trick autumn and prolong summer.

On the terrace, not only delicious lunch dishes are served, but also excellent gelati. So it happens that we crown the afternoon by the pool with two ice cream sundaes.

Before dinner, the terrace fills up a second time with hotel guests and out-of-town guests, who toast the sunset with a glass of Aperol Spritz and enjoy the wonderful evening atmosphere with all their senses. Afterwards we go to the conservatory of the Principe Leopoldo. The hotel’s gourmet restaurant, which has been awarded 16 Gault Millau points, serves a mix of Italian and French cuisine. We opt for the 5-course menu (125 CHF) and feast on octopus salad (not quite my cup of tea), ravioli with prawns and an excellent châteaubriand. In view of the well-filled stomach and the sweet dessert, we skip the cheese.

This weekend we were able to convince ourselves that you don’t necessarily have to fly to southern climes for a summer extension, but that thesun-spoiled Ticino can definitely keep up. With its location between Lugano and the green hills, Villa Principe Leopoldo is an ideal starting point for discerning people who like to combine shopping, culture and nature and who know how to enjoy the dolce farniente by the pool in equal measure.

• The nearest public transport stop is about 600 m away (Gentilino, Rubiana Postbus No. 436 from Lugano train station)
• Deluxe Room (Villa) from around 400 CHF (seasonal)
• The Kiso Spa of Villa Principe Leopoldo can also be visited as an external guest

Note: I was invited by Villa Principe Leopoldo for this stay. Thank you very much for this! As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm.