When spring arrives along the Locarno Bay, the lakeside lawns erupt into a riot of colour, palm fronds sway in the warm breeze, and the promenade fills with sun-seekers drawn to the luminous shore of Lake Maggiore. To the south of the pier, the celebrated Park of Camellias awaits with nearly 900 varieties in bloom. To the north, a flat and scenic pedestrian path hugs the water's edge all the way to Tenero, passing frescoed houses and Romanesque churches in a gentle stroll that captures the very essence of Ticino's lakeside charm.
The Park of the Camellias
Following the harbour of Locarno past the sleek modern building that houses the Lido and the Termali Salini & Spa wellness centre, you arrive at the Park of the Camellias, inaugurated in 2005 and honoured with the "Gardens of Excellence" award by the International Camellia Society. Its approximately 900 camellia varieties put on a spectacular show over nine months of the year, reaching their peak between March and April, when the park becomes a tapestry of pinks, reds, and whites. Each spring, a major exhibition celebrates this beloved flower.
Itinerary: Locarno Lakeside Promenade (1.5h, see map)
The flat, pleasant walk from Locarno to Tenero is a perennial favourite. From the pier, stroll along the Muralto lakeside through blooming avenues and lush Mediterranean vegetation, then continue along Lake Maggiore to Rivapiana. This neighbourhood charms with a handful of houses decorated by frescoes and the distinctive high tower of the San Quirico church. Of Romanesque origin and set in a beautiful location accessible from the lakeside through a signposted passage, the church preserves fragments of ancient frescoes within. Beside it, surrounded by a tranquil park, stands Villa San Quirico, an elegant 1930s building now owned by the town of Minusio.
Further along the shore you reach Ca' di Ferro (Iron House), an imposing 16th-century building historically used as barracks, recognisable by its many chimneys and barred windows. The walk continues to Mappo, home to the communal port of Minusio and the start of a large camping area.
From here you can continue on foot to Tenero's railway station and catch a train back to Locarno, take the underpass near the large car park to reach the bus stop, or simply retrace your steps along the same scenic waterfront path.
