Ascona
Thanks to its beautiful situation in a mist-free bay on Lake Maggiore, sheltered from the north winds, and to its sub-tropical vegetation, Ascona has developed from a little fishing village into one of Switzerland's most popular holiday resorts, excellently equipped for visitors. It has long hours of sunshine and a mild winter. The main areas of activity from spring into autumn are the picturesque town, a pedestrian precinct with numerous little shops, art galleries and antique dealers, and the piazza on the lake.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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A prehistoric cemetery excavated in 1952 provided evidence of a Bronze Age settlement here (ca. 800 B.C.). The town was "discovered" by a group of vegetarians and nature-worshippers who settled on Monte Verità before and during the First World War. The artists' colony of Ascona attracted such leading figures as Lenin, Leoncavallo, Isadora Duncan, J. C. Jung and Rudolf Steiner, and later residents included the writers Remarque and Herman Hesse and the painters Paul Klee, M. von Werefkin and Jawlensky. In the 1930s many refugees found a home on Lake Maggiore. The extensive modern development has unfortunately swallowed up the old village.
Related Attractions
Ascona Musical Weeks
This annual eight-week festival runs from late August to late October and includes almost 20 performances including orchestral, choral and chamber concerts and recitals. The festival was founded in 1946, and has since brought internationally-acclaimed artists to the small village for performances of classical music in impressive venues including the Ascona, San Francesco and Collegio Papio churches.
Casa Beato P. Berno
Paintings are exhibited in the Casa Beato P. Berno, a typical Ticinese Baroque house (now a craft center) and in the Casa Anatta, Monte Verità, are documents about the history of the mountain.
Casa Serodine (Casa Borrani)
Casa Serodine (1620), now known as Casa Borrani, has a sumptuous facade of Baroque stucco (a frieze of mythical creatures and bible scenes).
Collegio Pontificio Papio
The Collegio Pontificio Papio (1584) has one of the finest Renaissance courtyards in Switzerland (two-story loggias). In the church of Santa Maria della Misericordia (1399-1442), belonging to a Dominician Monastery, is a cycle of late Gothic frescoes.
Museo communale d'arte moderna
The Ascona Museo Communale has an important art collection including works by Marianne von Werefkin (1860-1938), Richard Seewald (1896-1976), Otto Niemeyer-Holstein, Maurice Utrillo, Paul Klee, Hermann Hesse and Fritz Pauli. (Special exhibitions during the summer months.)
Hours
March 1 to December 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 |
| Open | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 |
| Close | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
SS Pietro e Paolo Parish Church
The parish church of SS Pietro e Paolo (first referred to in 1264; rebuilt in the 16th C.), a pillared basilica with lateral aisles, has a high altar painting by Giovanni Serodine (1633) "Coronation of the Virgin".
Ascona Surroundings
Ronco - Lake Maggiore, Switzerland
From Ascona the road to Verbania (No. 13) follows the steep northwest shore of Lake Maggiore. To the right, high above the lake, is the picturesque village of Ronco; to the left are two small islands, the Isole di Brissago or dei Conigli ("Rabbit Islands"), on the larger of which is an interesting Botanic garden of Mediterranean flora. 3.5km/2mi away is Port Ronco, where a minor road from Ronco joins on the right.
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