There are here quite different aspects of Canton Ticino, there is the small Italian enclave of Campione, with its three ancient Lombard churches and the very modern Municipal Casino, designed by Mario Botta, the rich and lively cosmopolitan centre of Lugano and mediaeval Bellinzona, city of castles and a UNESCO world heritage site.
At Campione d’Italia we find monuments worthy of note such as the former church of St Zenone, the oratory of St Peter Martyr and the shrine of St Mary of the Ghirli which is considered a national monument. Further on there is Lugano, a rich financial and cultural centre for Switzerland, with its extremely elegant stores, luxury hotels, modern buildings by the famous architect Mario Botta and the beautiful Ciani park and ancient churches such as the sixteenth-century St Mary of the Angels and the Cathedral of St Lawrence. In the afternoon the itinerary takes in Bellinzona, with its three important castles and town fortifications, registered since 2000 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
