Ticino is one of the best tourist regions in Switzerland with its mild climate, subtropical vegetation, landscape, lakes, urban centres, cuisine, culture, history, inhabitants and the Italian language which all combine to characterise and distinguish this area from the rest of the country. Land of Italian culture, politically Swiss and opening on to the rest of Europe, Ticino today is a modern and dynamic region and is similar to a bridge connecting the North and the South. As all the principal European modes of transit pass through Ticino it is easily reached by car (A2 Milano-Basel – A13 Locarno-Chur), by train (via the Gotthard and Simplon-Centovalli routes) and by plane (Lugano-Agno international airport and Milano-Malpensa intercontinental airport), thereby offering numerous holiday options for disabled persons and those in wheelchairs. The landscape is often mountainous and hilly and many of the villages with their ancient nuclei do not always permit people in wheelchairs to visit the Canton totally independently. We have however tried to propose precise itineraries which we recommend undertaking together with a companion as many of the localities and sights are only accessible with a measure of difficulty . The places indicated in this brochure, which refer specifically to the areas around Lake Maggiore, Bellinzona and the Valleys, can generally be reached either by car or by public transport, in particular by train and/or boat. The five itinerary proposals offer only a few of the places to visit and thanks to the practical information and useful telephone numbers, visitors to the region can organise their stay as they please and discover Ascona and the sub-tropical Islands of Brissago (1), Locarno and the banks of Lake Maggiore (2), visit Brissago and the historic villages of the Maggia and Verzasca Valleys with a climb to Cardada and a chance to get immersed in the untouched nature of the Bolle di Magadino (3), admire the imposing medieval castles of Bellinzona (4) or soak in the culture and nature of the historic Valleys of Ticino at the foot of the St. Gotthard (5). The itineraries are intended to be one day trips, indicating a choice of localities among which the most interesting places to visit from a tourist, cultural and scenic point of view, as well as the principal public and private services, disabled parking and toilets, as well as transport, hotels, and restaurants offering suitable wheelchair access. It has to be pointed out that there are relatively few hotels, particularly in the Valleys, which offer total accessibility, or accessibility with a measure of difficulty, and consequently the choice of overnight location, category and price is limited (www.ftia.ch). Restaurants offering accessibility are also somewhat limited. However, there are countless shops, banks, services, cultural sites, monuments, walks, toilets and parking suitable for the disabled. Before commencing a stay in Ticino or embarking on one of our excursions we recommend that you consult the web sites mentioned and to ask for more comprehensive information directly from those concerned as they make available comprehensive documentation regarding hotels, transport, eating out, cultural events, historic monuments, museums, excursions, sporting activities etc. Consultation of the FTIA web site is recommended www.ftia.ch as it shows the contents of this brochure and offers useful informative links, as well as a detailed guide to the buildings in Ticino, their opening times and accessibility to the public. Those wishing to obtain excursion suggestions and to check accessibility to places of interest for disabled visitors in the Lake Lugano and Mendrisio areas should ask the FTIA or other tourist offices for the brochure “Ticino for Everyone – Lake Lugano Region” or check the web site www.ftia.ch. ADVICE FTIA is not a tourist office and will not make any booking / reservations. Furthermore. FTIA will not give any information regarding special tourist offers; it can only recommend suitable structures / accommodations indicated in the brochures “Ticino for everyone 1&2” which are, as far as they know, suitable for disabled persons. Please note that from the date of printing of this guide (March 2005) some of the tourist structures indicated may not be in use any longer. Therefore, FTIA declines any responsibility and cannot be held liable for any inconvenience.

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