The town and its surroundings are an Italian enclave within the Swiss borders; this may be due to the relative autonomy which was conceded to Campione in the 16th century, when the Swiss Federation was established, being the town an imperial feud under the authority of Milanese St. Ambrose's abbey. Today, Campione is well known especially for the presence of a Casinò, whose seat was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta.

This small village, standing on the coastline of the lake of Lugano, was a major centre for stonemasonry, as stated in documents dating back to the 11th century. It was also an obligatory pass for travellers heading to the close by peninsula. In the 19th century, the construction of the dam and the upper railroad gave a strong impulse to the economical growth of Melide; today, the town is mainly a tourist and leisure location.

Lugano is the largest Italian speaking city outside Italian borders, being the chief town of Ticino district. It was the terminal of Via Varesina, an ancient Roman way leading from Milan to the lake. During the Renaissance age, Lugano was contended between Como and Milan, before being ultimately annexed by the latter, under the authority of the Visconti and - later - Sforza families. After the decay of the Duchy of Milan, in the 16th century, it passed under the government of the Swiss Confederation, until the Napoleonic age. The town centre is rich of art treasures, such as the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, dating back to 1499 and frescoed by Bernardino Luini (Leonardo da Vinci’s pupil) in Renaissance style.

a stone’s throw away from where the cable car reaches the summit at 933 metres above sea level, you can admire the magnificent Alpine foothills on a natural sunlit terrace above Lake Lugano, a view dominated by the whole of the Gulf of Lugano. The view of this breathtaking landscape stretches as far as the imposing sight of Monte Rosa and the Bernese and Valais Alps.