LOCARNO ....3 DAYS IN.

What started out as a routine exit from the apartment on Desenzano at the early hour of 8.20am with 3 train rides ahead of us and about 4 hrs travel time including transit time turned out to be about 5.5 hrs because of a suicide on our train line...most unfortunate, but a regular thing here so we are told.
Finding the new hotel was pretty easy, a  6 min uphill walk.We are on the 4th floor with very nice views across Lake Maggiore and the Swiss/Italian Alps,
Lake Maggiore is the largest lake in Switzerland (not as big as Lake Garda)
It served by a tiller of ferries, that move up and down and across the lake to all the village and towns. It must be said that this is a big tourist area for Europeans looking for water and plenty of summer sun. 10,000's of tourists could be accommodated along the shores of the lake..there are many,many holiday apartments, hotels and camping areas in this region.
Luckily we are just out of the height of the European tourist season     ...... JULY/AUGUST
when at any one time something like 8o million holiday makers are on the move across Europe.
We are finding food expensive, no such thing as a bottle of wine at a rest. for us at dinner.
We do get a TICINO CARD..free bus and trains within a defined area and 20/30% discounts on attractions  eg ferries and chair lift,
Apart from walking the old town which stretches from the railway station to some Roman ruins.perhaps 750 mt , we have been on an interesting ferry trip over 6 hours to several towns and a small 2.7ha island with a great botanical garden and beautiful house.  Today we take a 3 stage chair lift up some 1670 mt, with spectacular views from the top.

PICS
they show boat trip
the botanical island
the island mansion once owned by an artist now held in trust.
the chairlift
views from the mountain top