We return to beautiful lakeside setting of the Hotel Stella d'Italia, Valsolda in April for our 15th visit to Lake Lugano. Whilst we still plan to visit in September we have decided that the opportunity of hear Paul Lewis and Francesco Piemontesi in two concerts at the LAC concert hall are too good to miss!
Lake Lugano is 70% in Switzerland and 30% in Italy. We stay on the Italian shore of the lake at a hotel that has become a firm favourite with Maestro clients over the past fifteen years, the enchanting Hotel Stella d'Italia situated on the lakeside in San Mamete, one of the seven little villages that make up ‘Valsolda’.
“Piccolo Mondo Antico” (“Little old-fashioned world”) is how Italian author Antonio Fogazzaro described Valsolda in his novel of 1895 and little has changed since! The ‘Stella’ opened in 1910 and remains owned and managed by the Ortelli family. It is unique in our experience of Italian lakeside hotels in that ALL rooms face the lake and the only difference between 'standard', 'superior' and ‘deluxe’ is really the decor and size of the room. It has an idyllic setting besides the lake just 2km from the Swiss border and 7km from the centre of Lugano. San Mamete is a small lakeside hamlet with just one square but has a bank, baker, general store, pharmacy and hair-dresser as well as a few bars & cafes.
The hotel and its beautiful garden invite you to relax and enjoy the lake. The hotel added a 'wellness' suite in 2019 with massage and spa facilities. If you want to explore independently a bus runs several times a day between Lugano and Menaggio on Lake Como, stopping outside the hotel in each direction. The hotel also has a once a day visit from the traditional lake steamer as it traverses the lake from Lugano to Porlezza.
The holiday includes three concerts (two at LAC and one with our local orchestra, the Filarmonica Valsolda), three days of organised sightseeing visits to the beautiful Villa Carlotta on Lake Como, Villa Fogazzaro on Lake Lugano, the lakeside towns of Bellagio & Menaggio on Como and the city of Lugano itself. We also include three dinners, two suppers and two lunches (all with wines included).
concert details at LAC:
27th April - Paul Lewis in recital
Beethoven - Piano Sonata no. 8 in C minor "Pathétique", Op.13
Sibelius - Six bagatelles for piano, Op.97
Debussy - Children's Corner, suite
Chopin - Polonaise no. 7 in A flat major "Polonaise-fantaisie", Op.61
Beethoven - Piano Sonata no. 23 in F minor 'Appassionata', Op.57
28th April - Markus Poschner, Francesco Piemontesi & Orchestra della Svizzera italiana
Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
Schumann - Symphony No. 2, Op. 61
One further concert is included on the 29th or 30th April with the Filarmonica Valsolda which will take place in one of the villages of Valsolda.
We have switch our flight plans from Swiss (with rail via Zurich) to Ryanair direct to Milan Malpensa. This decision has been made due to the Swiss 'Fly-Rail' service not yet being direct from Zurich Airport to Lugano (meaning an extra change with luggage each way) and because of new more convenient flight timings with Rynair. We will also include upfront seats (row's 3 -6), 20kg baggage and Fast Track for security at both Manchester and Malpensa.
26th April Manchester - Milan Malpensa 09:35 - 12:40
3rd May Milan Malpensa - Manchester 13:05 - 14:15
Heathrow to Milano Malpensa and minibus transfer to and from the hotel
26th April Heathrow - Milan MXP 12:10 - 15:15
3rd May Milan MXP - Heathrow 13:25 - 14:30
London City to Milano Malpensa and minibus transfer to and from the hotel
26th April London City - Milan MXP 11:55 - 14:50
3rd May Milan MXP - London City 15:30 - 16:30
Luton to Milano Malpensa and minibus transfer to and from the hotel
26th April Luton - Milan MXP 12:40 - 15:45
3rd May Milan MXP - Luton 16:15 - 17:00
Gatwick to Milano Malpensa and minibus transfer to and from the hotel
26th April Gatwick - Milan MXP 13:20 - 16:20
3rd May Milan MXP - Gatwick 18:40 - 19:35
All London airport departures carry a £40 supplement.
