Gandria

Gandria clings to the base of Monte Bre where the slope meets the lake, and it was built by fishermen and smugglers on ground so steep that the houses stand directly on the water with terraces above them and stepped lanes between - no vehicle can enter, and goods still move by hand or by boat. The village is reached on foot from Lugano along the Sentiero di Gandria, an olive-tree trail on the shore, or by boat. Across the water at Cantine di Gandria the Swiss Customs Museum occupies a former guard post and covers smuggling on this border in detail, including confiscated contraband and the ingenuity used to move it, which suits a village with that history.

What you actually see

• Houses standing in the lake - built at the waterline under the cliff.
• Stepped lanes with no vehicles - everything moved by hand or boat.
• The olive trail from Lugano - the Sentiero di Gandria along the shore.
• The Customs Museum opposite - smuggling on this border, told with the evidence.

When to go

March to November. Half a day.

Honest expectations

There is no parking - come by boat, bus or on foot. The lanes involve many steps. The village is small and its restaurants fill with boat arrivals. The museum is reached by a separate short crossing.

Nearby

Lugano is west along the shore; the Italian border is immediately east.