Grison Alps

Gandria is both a quarter of the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino, and a village on the northern shore of Lake Lugano, which forms the core of that quarter. Until 2004, the quarter of Gandria was an independent municipality, joining with Lugano in that year.The quarter of Gandria includes the rural slopes surrounding the village and stretching along the lakeside from the neighboring quarter of Castagnola-Cassarate to the border with Italy. It also includes the slopes on the opposite, (southern) side of the lake around the small settlement of Cantine di Gandria, that are accessible only by boat or on foot.The historically protected center of the village of Gandria, which is also not accessible by car, attracts visitors from all over the world. While roads now reach the outskirts of the village, many of these visitors arrive by boat services on the lake. It is also possible to walk from Lugano to Gandria and back to Lugano via a footpath, now branded the Olive path, which passes plantations of olive trees and offers views of the Lake of Lugano.

Brè (Italian pronunciation: [brɛ]) is a village on the eastern slopes of the mountain of Monte Brè, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Politically the village forms part of the Brè-Aldesago quarter of the city of Lugano, although until 1972 Brè-Aldesago was an independent municipality, known simply as Brè until 1953.The village of Brè was first recorded in 1280 as de Bre, and for most of its history has lived by agriculture and livestock. Until 1912, the only access to the village was on foot or by mule, but in that year Brè was reached by a road from Lugano, and the Monte Brè funicular was opened between Lugano and the summit of Monte Brè. Subsequently Brè has become a resort and residential suburb.Brè is accessed by a steep and winding road from Lugano. This first climbs to the village of Aldesago, before crossing the southern slopes of Monte Brè to reach Brè village. Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi (TPL) bus route 12 operates along this road from Lugano city centre to Brè village, with one or two buses per hour. The Monte Brè funicular, which connects the Lugano suburb of Cassarate, itself served by frequent city buses, to the summit of Monte Brè, serves a stop known as Brè Villagio, although this is a 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) walk from the village itself. The funicular runs every half-hour.The Wilhelm Schmid Museum, in the village, is the former residence of Wilhelm Schmid (1892–1971) and today contains a collection of his works. Schmid was the only Swiss painter of the northern Magical Realism style. The village is also home to an artistic trail that includes the works of 20 nationally and internationally acclaimed artists.The parish church of Saints Simon and Fedele is first mentioned in 1591, in an account of a visit by Feliciano Ninguarda, then bishop of Como. It is believed, however, to date back to medieval times, and the tower, located in the southeast corner of the basilica, has Romanesque blind arches on its base. The church contains artistic works from different eras, including 17th-century frescos and 20th-century paintings by Jozeph Birò, a Hungarian painter and one-time resident of the village.

Monte Brè (925 m) is a small mountain east of Lugano on the flank of Monte Boglia (1,516 m) with a view of the bay of Lugano and the Pennine Alps and the Bernese Alps. It is considered one of the sunniest points in Switzerland. Since 1912, the Monte Brè funicular has led from Lugano Cassarate to Monte Brè.

The Swiss Customs Museum, or Museo doganale svizzero, is a museum located in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The museum is sited near Cantine di Gandria, directly across the Lake Lugano from the village of Gandria, and adjacent to the border with Italy. The museum was formerly a border post on that border, but now forms part of the Swiss National Museum. In the 19th and 20th centuries, smuggling flourished in the mountain valleys of Ticino and Graubünden, and the museum covers the history of this, and the work of customs officers to counteract it. In a modern context, it covers the work of the Swiss Federal Customs Administration and the Swiss Border Guard.The museum has no road access, and is best reached by boat. Boats of the Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano (SNL) provide several crossings a day to Lugano.

Aldesago is a village on the western slopes of the mountain of Monte Brè, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Politically the village forms part of the Brè-Aldesago quarter of the city of Lugano, although until 1972 Brè-Aldesago was an independent municipality.Aldesago is accessed by a steep and winding road from Lugano. This road then crosses the southern slopes of Monte Brè to reach the village of Brè. Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi (TPL) bus route 12 operates along this road from Lugano city centre to Brè village, with one or two buses per hour. The Monte Brè funicular, which connects the Lugano suburb of Cassarate, itself served by frequent city buses, to the summit of Monte Brè, serves a stop in Aldesago and runs every half-hour.The church in Aldesago was first mentioned in 1636, but this building was demolished in 1941 to make way for road works. The replacement church, known as the Oratory of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, was consecrated in 1943.

Brè-Aldesago is a quarter of the city of Lugano, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. It occupies the slopes and summit of Monte Brè, and contains the mountain villages of Brè, to the east of the summit, and Aldesago, to the west. It has an area of 420 hectares (1,000 acres) and, in 2011, it had a population of 1,055.Historically, Brè-Aldesago was an independent municipality, known simply as Brè until 1953. The municipality had 178 inhabitants in 1591, which increased to 244 in 1801, 378 in 1850, 393 in 1900, 400 in 1950 and 411 in 1970. It was incorporated into Lugano in 1972.Brè was first recorded in 1280 as de Bre, and for most of its history has lived by agriculture and livestock. Until 1912, the only access to the village was on foot or by mule, but in that year Brè was reached by a road from Lugano via Aldesago, and the Monte Brè funicular was opened between Lugano and the summit of Monte Brè. Subsequently, Brè-Aldesago has become a resort and residential suburb.The Brè-Aldesago quarter is accessed by a steep and winding road from Lugano. This first climbs to Aldesago village, before crossing the southern slopes of Monte Brè to reach Brè village. A further road ascends from near Brè village to near the summit of Monte Brè. Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi (TPL) bus route 12 operates from Lugano city centre to Brè village via Aldesago village, with one or two buses per hour. The Monte Brè funicular connects the Lugano suburb of Cassarate, itself served by frequent city buses, to the summit of Monte Brè, running every half-hour.The summit of Monte Brè is a significant tourist attraction, with expansive views over Lake Lugano and the Alps, and several restaurants. Brè village is the home of the Wilhelm Schmid Museum, which contains a collection of works by Wilhelm Schmid (1892–1971), together with an artistic trail that includes the works of 20 nationally and internationally acclaimed artists.

Castagnola-Cassarate is a quarter of the city of Lugano, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Until 1972, it was an independent municipality under the name Castagnola.Castagnola-Cassarate includes the waterfront on the north side of Lake Lugano from the outfall of the Cassarate River in the west, continuing under Monte Brè to a border with Gandria in the east. It also includes waterfront areas on the opposite, southern, side of Lake Lugano, reaching up to the border with Italy at the summit of Sighignola. The villages and settlements of Caprino, Cassarate, Castagnola, Cavallino, Ruvigliana and Suvigliana are all included. It has an area of 297 hectares (730 acres) and, in 2011, it had a population of 6,167.The municipality of Castagnola had 157 inhabitants in 1591, which increased to 214 in 1801, 419 in 1850, 1,060 in 1900, 2,926 in 1950, 4,430 in 1970, and 5,509 in 1991.

Castagnola is a village on the northern shore of Lake Lugano, below the mountain of Monte Brè, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Politically the village forms part of the Castagnola-Cassarate quarter of the city of Lugano, although until 1972 Castagnola-Cassarate was an independent municipality under the name Castagnola.Castagnola was first recorded in 1335 as Castigniola.Amongst its notable residents is the artist Angela Lyn. and Latvian poet couple Rainis and Aspazija, who lived here from 1905–20. Carlo Cattaneo, Italian writer and philosopher, died here in 1869.

Viganello is a quarter of the city of Lugano, Switzerland. Viganello was formerly a municipality of its own, having been incorporated into Lugano in 2004. It was first recorded in 1300 as de Viganello. The municipality also contained the village Albonago. It had 238 inhabitants in 1783, which increased to 244 in 1808, 319 in 1850, 1477 in 1910, 2163 in 1950 and 5587 in 1990.

Caprino is a village on the southern shore of Lake Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino, to the east of the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia and below the summit of Sighignola. Some 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) east of Caprino village is Cantine di Caprino, a smaller settlement. Politically both form part of the Castagnola-Cassarate quarter of the city of Lugano, although until 1972 Castagnola-Cassarate was an independent municipality under the name Castagnola.Caprino has no direct road connection with rest of the city of Lugano, or indeed the bulk of its quarter of Castagnola-Cassarate, which lie on the other side of Lake Lugano. An indirect road connection can be made via Arogno, Maroggia and the Melide causeway, but by this route Castagnola is some 21 kilometres (13 mi) distant, compared to under 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) across the lake. Cantine di Caprino has no road access, although it is linked to Caprino village by a footpath.Boats of the Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano (SNL) provide several crossings a day to central Lugano. Boats call at San Rocco landing stage in Caprino village and at Cantine di Caprino. Water taxis are also available.

Cureggia is a quarter of the city of Lugano, Switzerland. Cureggia was formerly a municipality of its own, having been incorporated into Lugano in 2004. It was first recorded in 1329 as Curezia. Cureggia had 62 inhabitants in 1799, which decreased to 53 in 1850, 47 in 1900 and 24 in 1950. It then increased again, to 112 in 2000.

The Monte Brè funicular, or Funicolare Cassarate - Monte Brè, is a funicular railway in the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The line links a lower station in the Lugano suburb of Cassarate with an upper station at 883 m near the summit of the Monte Brè. The top yields views of the city and Lake Lugano.The funicular is composed of two separate and independent sections. The first section links the stops of Cassarate and Suvigliana and is only 196 metres (643 ft) long. At Suvigliana passengers must cross the road to reach the lower station of the second, and significantly longer, section. This section is 1,403 metres (4,603 ft) long, and is very sinuous with further intermediate stops of Albonago, Aldesago and Brè Villaggio. The first three intermediate stops serve the villages of Suvigliana, Albonago and Aldesago, all of which are on the western flank of Monte Brè, whilst the Brè Villaggio stop is linked to the village of Brè on the eastern flank by a 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) long path.The Monte Brè funicular is one of three operational funiculars within the Lugano area. The other two are the Monte San Salvatore funicular, which ascends Monte San Salvatore on the opposite side of the city, and the Lugano Città–Stazione funicular, which links the city centre with the railway station.