Surrounded by cultural and natural attractions

In the H4 Hotel Arcadia Locarno, you can stay right in the town centre, yet with a clear view of the lake. You can reach both the yacht harbour and the Piazza Grande, where cultural highlights such as the jazz festival or the Locarno International Film Festival take place, really quickly. Ticino, with its Alpine valleys and mountains, invites you to go on a tour of the area.

The heart and soul of Locarno is the Piazza Grande, which is about eight minutes’ walk from the H4 Hotel Arcadia Locarno. All the side streets in the old town lead to the pedestrianised square, with its peaceful, leafy passages. The Piazza Grande is surrounded by old buildings, a range of restaurants and cafés simply invite you to while away the hours.

There’s always something happening on the boulevard “Lungolago Giuseppa Motta“. This lakeside promenade offers beautiful views of the lake and lots of shady benches. It opens in Spring with the snow-covered Alps in the background, and the bright, multi-coloured flower borders of a sub-tropical garden landscape. Stroll south for around 15 minutes along the promenade from the H4 Hotel Arcadia Locarno to the Camellia Garden, and explore the overwhelming floral magnificence of over 500 different types of camellia.

A visit to the Castello Visconteo is a must for any visitor with an interest in history. The origins of the former castle complex data back to the year 998. In the 14th century it was conquered by the ducal Visconti family from Milan, and extended into a city castle. Some parts of the original buildings have been preserved to this day. In the archaeological museum, which is also housed in Castello Visconteo, you can admire valuable vases, mouth-blown chalices and a really wide variety of finds from Roman times. Castello Visconteo, located on the edge of the Locarno Old Town, is around ten minutes’ walk from the H4 Hotel Arcadia Locarno.

Monte Verità rises from the hills above Ascona and Lake Maggiore, offering fantastic panoramic views. At the turn of the century, the 321 metre high mountain was the seat of a colony which is regarded today as the cradle of the alternative movement. The many international intellectuals and artists who settled in the castle - including Herrmann Hesse, Max Frisch and Elke Lasker-Schüler - christened it the “Castle of Truth”. It takes about ten minutes to drive from the H4 Hotel Arcadia Locarno to Monte Verità.

The “Gishla Art Collection” foundation museum displays the works of major, modern artists such as Picasso, Mirò and Magritte. In addition, the collection shows the work of the next generation of up and coming young artists. The museum building takes the form of a minimalist sculpture - a black cube with a red cover and moats - a very striking work of art in its own right. It will take you about three minutes to walk to the art collection from the H4 Hotel Arcadia Locarno.