Ascona is Switzerland's lowest lying town. It is located at 196 meters above sea level on the northern shore of Lago Maggiore, also called Lake Langen. Ascona is famous for its mild climate, its Old Town and a lake promenade which is dotted with street cafés and boasts a Latin ambience.
The church of San Pietro e Paolo, which is located in Ascona's old center of town, Borgo, is well worth a visit. The church is a basilica dating back to the 16th century. The interior of the basilica is defined by columns. Its high bell tower is the landmark of the vacation destination of Ascona. The branching lanes of the Old Town lead to the car-free zone of the Lake Promenade with its charming street cafés.
The Monte Verità, the Mountain of Truth, lies above Ascona. People who subscribed to philosophies off the beaten track established a colony here at the beginning of the 20th century. The colony attracted celebrities from all over the world. Today the mountain is a place where the universities of Lucerne and Zurich hold seminars, and a museum showcases the history of the alternative colony and its founders.

• Highlights:Borgo Old Town – beautiful Old Town of Ascona around the church of San Pietro e Paolo, an art museum with paintings by artists who spent time living here (Jawlensky, Werefkin, Klee).
• Maggiatal – natural river landscape, broad paths in an unspoilt side valley of Ticino, with nearly 40 mountain lakes and a wealth of fauna and flora.
• Brissago Islands – worth a trip, reached by a peaceful boat ride; thanks to the near-Mediterranean climate, 1500 different species of plants thrive here.
• Centovalli – this enchanting "Valley of a hundred valleys" lies between Domodossola and Locarno, with deep gorges, waterfalls, chestnut woods and picturesque villages, reached by narrow-gauge railway. Rail links to Brig in the Valais, change in Domodossola.
• Ronco sopra Ascona – one of the most delightful places overlooking Lake Maggiore, with an enchanting panorama of the lake and mountains, and a picturesque footpath with over 800 steps leading down to the lakeside.