Malcantone - driving tour from Lugano

An attractive drive through the area between Lugano and the Italian frontier, of about 50km/31mi, with Agno (8km/5mi west of Lugano) as its starting-point, might take in the health resort of Cademario (795 m/2,608ft), Breno (802 m/2,631ft; base for the ascent of Poncione di Breno, 1,658 m/5,440ft, three hours) and Miglieglia (751 m/2,464ft), from which a chairlift (2,673 m/8,770ft, 18 minutes) goes up Monte Lema (1,624 m/5,328ft; upper station 1,550 m/5,086ft; inn, superb views). Also worth seeing are the villages of Novaggio (644 m/2,113ft), Banco (585 m/1,919ft) and Astano (633 m/2,077ft; surrounded by chestnut forests) as well as Caslano on Lake Lugano, from which the return road runs northeast to Agno. Southwest of Agno on the Swiss-Italian border lies Ponte Tresa.