Immersion Travel Italy Podcast — Lago Maggiore Series, Episode 2: Where Switzerland Speaks Italian
Close your eyes and picture this. Calm blue waters surrounded by alpine slopes and palm trees, sunlight glimmering on ancient stone, and Italian voices echoing through a Swiss piazza. Welcome to Ticino, the southern soul of Switzerland where Lago Maggiore flows north into a land that speaks Italian, sips espresso, and lives the good life with Swiss precision.
In this episode, Katerina Ferrara, author of the Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Italy series, takes you to the Swiss side of Lago Maggiore, to Locarno, Ascona, and the Brissago Islands for a journey that blends culture, history, art, faith, and slow travel moments.
You will wander through Locarno’s Piazza Grande, home to the world-famous Locarno Film Festival, climb to the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, and stroll the palm-lined lakefront where cafés spill onto cobblestones. Then you will drift to Ascona, the Riviera of artists and dreamers, once home to the visionary colony of Monte Verità, a community that shaped early twentieth-century art and philosophy. Jazz festivals, classical concerts, local food, and the gentle rhythm of lake life all await.
The episode also unveils the Brissago Islands, two botanical jewels floating in the lake, home to camellias, bamboo, papyrus, and orchids that bloom in a microclimate warmed by Alpine sun. Learn about Baroness Antoinette St. Leger’s garden legacy, Max Emden’s villa, and the enduring harmony between nature and art that defines Ticino.
Travel tips, insider insights, and immersive storytelling bring this region to life.
You will learn how to reach Ticino by train from Milan or Zurich.
You will hear about ferry routes between Locarno, Ascona, and the islands.
There are suggestions on where to stay, from elegant lakefront hotels to the peaceful Monte Verità retreat.
You will discover local flavors such as polenta e brasato, risotto al Merlot, and torta di pane.
The episode also highlights cultural events including the Ascona Jazz Festival and the Settimane Musicali di Ascona.
Whether you are planning your next Swiss and Italian lake escape or simply dreaming from afar, this episode offers an inspiring and sensory journey through a region where the Alps meet the Mediterranean spirit.
Listen, subscribe, and discover why Lago Maggiore’s northern shores capture the essence of slow European travel.
Explore Katerina’s Ultimate Festival and Travel Guide Series including Sicily, Puglia, Rome and Beyond, and Venice and the Veneto, available on Amazon, with new editions coming soon for Milan and Lombardy and the Italian Lakes. Links at www.katerinaferrara.com
Visit www.katerinaferrara.com for travel itineraries, blogs, and festival insights.
Follow Katerina on Instagram @immersiontravelitaly for photos, behind-the-scenes journeys, and Italian festival inspiration.
Watch the full Lago Maggiore Series on YouTube under Immersion Travel Italy.
Let the waters of Lago Maggiore guide you north, where sunshine, serenity, and the spirit of Ticino create an unforgettable meeting of worlds.