Lugano (Switzerland) Waterfront

If you’re exploring the Lake Como area, it’s worth the 45 minute drive from Como to Lugano to explore this Swiss city and do a run along the waterfront. There is a 7 km waterfront path/road from Paradiso, just south of Lugano, to Gandria. This includes 2+ km along the car-free Sentiero de Gandria walking path.

Start in Paradiso, just south of Lugano, across from the Fountain of Paradisio attraction. Run north for ~1 km on a dedicated waterfront path, then join the road which runs along the water into central Lugano. At the 2 km mark, explore the lovely lakefront Parco Ciani, with its manicured paths, gardens, and historic buildings. Cross the canal and continue heading east on the main road, Via Riviera. There’s a brief section away from the water. At the 4.4 mark, leave the main road onto the waterfront Via Cortivo, and continue to for nearly 1 km, which is the start of the Sentiero de Gandria path. This is narrower with some uneven footing, but it’s very runnable (though there will be other pedestrians). Continue for 2 km to the end at the San Vigilio Church. Retrace your steps to the start.

Add-Ons: Explore a little more in Parco Ciani, and the attractive, narrow streets of the historic section of Lugano, which is framed by Highway 2 to the west and Parco Ciani to the east.