Monte Lema
A viewpoint mountain in the Malcantone region, where a cable car takes you up to see both Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore at once.
Monte Lema rises to 1,621 meters in the Malcantone hills west of Lugano, right on the Swiss-Italian border. A cable car from the village of Miglieglia takes about 10 minutes to reach the top. On clear days, the summit offers views over Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore, the Po Plain, and the snowy Alps. There is a restaurant and a small weather station. A classic route is the Lema-Tamaro ridge trail, which takes about 4 to 5 hours to reach Monte Tamaro. From there, take the cable car down to Rivera, but check the last departure times for both cable cars in advance. The cable car operates roughly from April to November, and a round-trip ticket costs about 30 Swiss francs. From Lugano, it is about 40 minutes by bus or car to Miglieglia.
Opening hours
Cable car about April–November, 09:00–17:00 (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Monte Tamaro
- Museo Hermann Hesse
- Cathedral of San Lorenzo
- LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura
- Via Nassa
- Santa Maria degli Angioli
- Piazza della Riforma
- Lake Lugano Boat Trips