Locarno

Locarno sits at the northern end of Lake Maggiore at about two hundred metres, the lowest point in Switzerland, which gives it a climate mild enough for camellias, palms and citrus - the Camelia park by the lake holds hundreds of varieties. The Piazza Grande, an arcaded square in the old town, is the reason the town is known internationally: every August the Locarno Film Festival puts up a screen and seats around eight thousand people in the open air for nightly screenings, one of the oldest festivals of its kind, running since 1946 and known for taking risks on new directors. The Madonna del Sasso sanctuary stands on the crag above, and the Centovalli railway leaves for Italy.

What you actually see

• The Piazza Grande screen - eight thousand seats in the open air each August.
• Switzerland's lowest point - the mild lake climate at about 200 metres.
• Camellias by the hundred - the park collection by the lake.
• The Centovalli line - the narrow-gauge railway west into Italy.

When to go

March to November; August for the festival. Two days.

Honest expectations

Festival fortnight fills every bed for miles and prices rise sharply. Screenings are weather-dependent and can move indoors. Summer humidity is heavy. Outside the old town the built-up lakefront is unremarkable.

Nearby

Ascona is along the shore; Valle Maggia and Val Verzasca run north.