Stretched along the lakeshore with mountain peaks as its backdrop, the Lido of Locarno is a world-class aquatic playground where water is the theme and relaxation the goal. This modern beach resort brings together indoor and outdoor pools, an outdoor thermal pool with whirlpools, a springboard tower, a vast green lawn with a sandy lakeside beach, and four spectacular water slides totalling over 300 metres of thrilling descents -- each named after one of the four rivers (Verzasca, Maggia, Melezza, Isorno) that flow into Lake Maggiore. Open year-round and completed by a state-of-the-art fitness centre, the Lido welcomes visitors of every age.
The beach resort
In summer, the Lido opens five outdoor pools: an Olympic-sized 50-metre pool, a diving pool with springboards at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 metres, a warm-water whirlpool, a large oval leisure pool, and a dedicated children's pool. A spacious lawn, a beautiful sandy beach on the lakeshore, and a beach volleyball court round out the outdoor offering.
When winter arrives or the weather turns grey, three indoor pools ensure the fun continues, alongside a heated outdoor pool kept at a balmy 34 degrees. Of the indoor pools, one measures 25 metres, one features a mobile bottom ideal for beginners, and the third -- shallow, playful, and equipped with sprinklers and games -- is a paradise for the youngest visitors.
The four year-round water slides, inspired by the rivers that feed Lake Maggiore, deliver breathtaking winding descents over a combined 300 metres of pure exhilaration.
Architecture of the Lido
The building housing the indoor pools and slides is an architectural achievement in its own right, one that mirrors and honours the landscape surrounding it. Floor-to-ceiling windows dissolve the boundary between indoors and out, allowing swimmers to remain immersed in nature even while gliding through the heated pools.
Designed by architects Moro & Moro, winners of the international competition for the project, the structure embodies the lightness and transparency of Ticino's finest architectural tradition. A vast glass casing acts as an almost invisible screen, uniting mountains and lake with the city in a single flowing environment of elegant, weightless lines. "The guiding principle throughout the design phase," the architects explain, "was the protection of this natural setting, which in turn became an integral part of the concept for the city's water park."
