Christmas traditions on Lake Maggiore

Who doesn't like this time of year? In slippers in front of the fire, baking cookies and browsing the Christmas markets. But not only! Christmas at Lago Maggiore combines tradition with Mediterranean charm.

Surrounded by Christmas illuminations, streets and houses sparkle and the fragrance of mulled wine, hot chestnuts and gingerbread spices wafts through the streets. The lake mirrors the festively decorated promenade, glittering in the night with its dancing lights. It's a time for reflection – but also for activity: many traditions come alive at this time of year.

What makes Christmas on Lake Maggiore so unique? The mild climate. Where else can you ski in the morning and relax on a sundeck by the lake in the afternoon with coffee? Locarno on Ice is a fairytale world in Piazza Grande, the heart of Locarno. Children turning pirouettes on the ice rink, people meeting for a drink, others soaking in the atmosphere and the live concerts. Ascona celebrates Advent with a variety of events: Christmas market, Christmas run, New Year's concert, firework display and Tavolata di Ascona at which people ring in the year together. The cribs also belong to the Ticino culture and are very important. Vira  (Gambarogno) and Moghegno (Vallemaggia) are particularly well known for their traditional and unusual interpretations, and during this period they are transformed into little crib villages.