5 Reasons to Visit Brissago Switzerland

Not many people have heard of Brissago, Switzerland. I spent a few days there recently and want to share with you my top 5 reasons to visit Brissago, Switzerland.

First of all, this small town is located in the sunny warm region of Ticino (or Tessin). This is the Italian region of Switzerland in the southeast corner of the country.

Brissago is approximately 9 kilometers (5 miles) from the more popular towns of Ascona and Locarno. I had already been to these two other cities and was looking to discover a new area on Lake Locarno. Read on to hear about my 5 reasons I think you should visit Brissago.

Breathtaking Views of Lake Locarno

The village of Brissago has a lakefront area but the majority of homes are built high on a cliff overlooking the lake. There are not many hotels in Brissago, but we found an Airbnb apartment that offered a gorgeous view.

We drove to Brissago from where we live in the Lake Geneva area of Switzerland (approx 4-hour drive), so we had a car to use. If you don’t like walking up and down steep hills, a car would come in handy when you stay in Brissago.

We enjoyed the 30-minute walk down and up the hill, so we didn’t use our car to go into town for dinner each night.

Nice Lakeside Restaurants

We were surprised by the options of restaurants in this small town. Most of the restaurants were situated on the lakeside promenade. Each night we tried a different restaurant and were always pleased with the food and service. The advantage of eating in Brissago is that you will find fewer crowds than in Ascona. Of course, we were there in the off-season at the end of March.

Walking along the promenade is very scenic. You can stop for a drink outside and can visit the small harbor. The area was very clean and well-groomed. Huge palm trees line the leisurely walk.

Gorgeous Hikes

Our main objective for the long weekend in Brissago was to find some new hikes. We did a long hike one day from Brissago to Ascona. The hiking path started very close to our Airbnb and went across the ridge through forests and small villages.

After walking with our 1 year old cocker spaniel for 3 hours, we finally arrived to the bustling lakeside town of Ascona. We walked along the promenade and then sat down at a restaurant for drinks and people-watching. I’ve been to Ascona two other times but still enjoy spending time there and admiring the lake views.

We were not looking forward to the return walk but headed off along the lake path this time. The path quickly turned into a busy road with no where to walk. We gave up and caught the next bus back to Brissago. Once there, we walked around and went to a restaurant we had already reserved.

grotto experience

I had heard this area was known for its grotti built up on the hillsides and open to the public for eating. I researched ones close to us in Brissago. The first one was just over the border of Italy. We drove there on a Sunday and arrived near noon. We didn’t have reservations but they said we could have a table. Unfortunately we found out they required the Covid Pass to eat there, even at an outside table. I had mine but my partner is not vaccinated, so we had to leave. It was disappointing but I quickly found another one on the Swiss side of the lake. We had to drive up a long curvy road to reach the area. When we arrived, we discovered it was closed! Fortunately there was another one that was a 5 minute walk and open – Yay! We were lucky to get a table without a reservation.

The view was amazing and the food was delicious. I loved the ambiance of these outdoor restaurants built into the cliffside. We had the traditional dishes of rabbit and xxx. I recommend finding one of these when you visit this area of Ticino.