olive trail

Natianan

Very easy and enjoyable walk. We pushed a stroller (there are some steps in a few places so we had to carry it) and our 9yo and 11yo were able to walk the entire route from City center out to Gandria and back. Took just over 3 hours at a leisurely pace. Great views and perfect for a Sunday morning stroll!

merc43

It can be a bit demanding in places so not best suited if you have problems with step steeps and inclines.

BunchaSwiss

We had an excellent couple of hours doing the walk from Lugano and took the boat back.Starting in Lugano we walked through the lanes with the antique bric-a-brac stalls. Then through the Parco Civico. Cross over the bridge across the canal. Turn right and go by the side of the road, by the lake up a small hill. You then walk past some terraced apartments then look for a little pedestrian sign saying Gandria 35 minutes down the road to the car park in Castagnola. From here you have a pleasant 3 kilometre walk on a path by the lake. The views are superb and the route peaceful and tranquil. Along the way there are cafe restaurants and toilets. It finishes down into the fishing village of Gandria where we had lunch. You can take a bus back but the best is to take the boat. About six times a day it comes to Gandria then goes across the lake to several stops before returning to Lugano after 45 minutes.

Gardenie

The antique Oliven-footpath in Lugano-Castagnola to Gandria begins in the antique nucleo of Castagnola at paneel nr. 18. Castagnola is the most exclusive quarter of Lugano near the lake at foot of Monte Brè (the sunniest mountain of Switzerland) and reachable by bus nr. 2 at Post office of Castagnola or by ship at Museum Villa Heleneum. It is a beautiful footpath with lakeview and passing also the Barony with paneel nr. 17. On the ground of the Barony still alive is a 600 years old olive tree, which did not dy in the cold winter in the middle of the 19th century, when the olive-cultivation in lugano finished. You can see on this path also some other old trees and a new cultivation started at the end of the 20th century. In the surroundings of Castagnola to Gandria are also archeological monuments from the time before Christ. Coming to Gandria (an old fishermen's village with its own charme) and maybe after a stop in one of the restaurants/cafès) you can get back also by bus or by boat to Castagnola or center Lugano.get back by boat or bus to Castagnola o center Lugano or by bus.

carmenbaisley

Stay in the Moosmann hotel in Gandria, and after a great lakeside breakfast, stretch your legs on the long meandering walk into Lugano. (our 4yr old managed it without issue!) There is also a great hotel for a coffee-stop half way! beautiful

janets216

This beautiful forested trail hugs the shore of Lake Lugano, meandering through small hamlets. Along the way, there are interpretive signs that describe the history and cultivation of olives (you will see some - they were still small and green in early July). You'll see fig trees and interesting geological features as well. The highlight for me was Gandria, where you will find Chiesa di San Vigilio (a charming 13th century Baroque church) and have lunch on a terrace overlooking the lake at Ristorante Roccabella.

TourQueen55

We asked several locals and walked for miles looking for this path described as a gentle 3k walk. We ended up meandering through private neighborhoods, steep stairs and even a museum! There were a couple signs - but they led no where.

Stokvis1

Took slow boat to Gradia and ate lunch in charming place.The took scenic and beautiful walk back to Lugano

clubman64

This walk hugs Lake Lugano and, as such, has some beautiful views. It's really not much of a trail, though. There are signs about olives, but that's the only thing that'd let you know it was an "Olive Trail". Still, there are excellent restaurants along the walk with dynamite views of the lake, plus there is a free public beach toward the start/finish. Go for these.

BuenoOrNot

Lots of fun, short walk to very cute town of Gandria, try to eat at ristorante le bucca di Gandria, excellent food, owners and view

MEAK

This is a beautiful amble past numerous olive trees (one reviewer said only 6, but I don't think they knew what olive trees look like) with information about "anything olive" along the way. Past gorgeous villas, small lidos, inns and terraces.

MJSKentucky

This is a very nice walk along the lake. There is information along the way about the olive trees that once flourished there. Please note that the trail actually starts about a mile past the City Park on the way to Gandria. That mile before the actual trail is mostly through the business district and not particularly memorable, but the Olive Trail itself is very nice. Gandria is nice to see, too.

JasonandJacqueline

Minimal tourists, learned a little about olives, beautiful scenery, not a difficult walk cute little restaurants and stops and a beautiful pottery store where he husband makes it and his wife paints it. Such an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Plus jasmine, rosemary figs and olives trees line the walk and the air smells sweet.

bryanmantezoni

This is probably the cheapest thing you can do in this expensive country. Take the olive trail either in the morning hours or evening so you do not catch the sun because it's about an hour and a half walk. Beautiful trails with pretty houses around, at the end where you catch the boat you will have a beautiful church where you can meditate for a couple of minutes and if you enter the church you got to be very quiet and appreciate silence. Also at the end of the trail you can take pictures in those little cobbled streets and use the restrooms which are free and very clean, there's a fountain in the middle if the whole journey with spring water and it is safe to drink or if you bring your bottles you must refill because a bottle if water at the end will cost you 3.40 euros.You must catch the boat which runs every 30 minutes back to Lugano and it's about 16 euros, if you catch the boat sit where you face the side of the bias where you got in from because all the beautiful houses are on that side. Enjoy this beautiful trail.

FelipeM785

The olive trail is a more scenic way of going from Lugano to Gandria, and it offer some awesome views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. If you closer to the sunset, if it's a clear day, you'll have an epic experience. Anyway, the trail is quite short, you can walk it within 2 hours even if walking slowly.