Lugano is the third largest and most important financial center in Switzerland, an extremely popular destination for businessmen but also for wealthy tourists looking for a place to relax.
The lake it overlooks and the large natural component surrounding the town are good reasons to charter a private jet to Lugano for a relaxing vacation.
The airport serving the Swiss city is equipped with all the most exclusive services capable of putting every charter flight passenger at ease thanks to the presence of dedicated lounges, reserved security checks and Fast Tracks at baggage claim or check-in, not to mention the many transfer services present.
The breathtaking scenery that Lugano offers, as well as the predominance of Italian architecture in its sights, make its visit fascinating and magnificent: the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Swiss National Libraryor the famous Via Nassa, an artery dotted with high-fashion boutiques where you can shop indiscriminately, are just a few of Lugano's top attractions.
More affluent tourists will also have the opportunity to relax in the ski resorts surrounding the city, while also taking part inEstival Jazz, an annual event that attracts a vast parterre of international stars.
Renting a private jet is certainly a convenient aid to discovering Lugano and its beauties; how?
Historical and geographical background on Lugano
Lugano is a Swiss city that is the capital of Canton Ticino and stretches from the slopes of San Salvatore to Mount Brè, a massif directly bordering the Val Colla. Not only that, Lugano overlooks the lake of the same name, and its urban center is located at an altitude of about 270 meters above sea level. All around the city is the mountain range of the Lugano Pre-Alps, which are almost always snow-capped regardless of the time of year. For very long years, beginning in medieval times, Lugano was the subject of clashes pitting Como and Milan against each other to grab its possession; however, in the mid-sixteenth century, it was the Swiss themselves who annexed it to their territories. About 200 years later, thanks to several revolutionary uprisings, Lugano was able to demand and gain independence through its annexation to the Helvetic Confederation; shortly thereafter, the Congress of Vienna established the creation of the cantons that still divide the southern part of Switzerland today. In the 19th century, Lugano alternated with Locarno and Bellinzona as the cantonal capital after the new Constitution stipulated that such a procedure should take place every 6 years. Lugano's real demographic development, however, occurred in the early 1900s after the opening of the St. Gotthard railway section: this population growth led to major urban transformations and improvements in the city that changed the structure of the old town and surrounding neighborhoods. Today, Lugano is one of Switzerland's most important cities that plays a crucial role in the nation's economy because it is home to some of the best-known banking and credit institutions in Europe.
What to do and see in Lugano
Estival Jazz of Lugano
Since the 1970s Lugano has hosted Estival Jazz, an event that brings world-renowned artists of one of the world's most distinctive and beloved musical genres to the Swiss town. From its inception to the present, this event has attracted the attention of VIPs, celebrities and stars from the music world curious to attend the festival that colors the atmosphere of Lugano each year by featuring excellent music and unparalleled folklore. The services to which people belonging to the elite class can have access are diverse, from transfers from the airport directly to the event to the starred restaurants in the vicinity of the spot where the event is held, via the multiple luxury hotels where they can stay while enjoying the highest standards of comfort.
Shopping and cruising on Lake Lugano
One of the arteries that cuts longitudinally through Lugano is Via Nassa, the city's historic boulevard known to be a major shopping street. Indeed, under its signature arcades are world-renowned luxury boutiques, from Dior to Chanel, via Calvin Klein, Hermes, Bulgari and Gucci in which VIPs can indulge in the purchase of designer clothing, accessories and jewelry of all kinds. Nearby Via Nassa is the LAC, or Lugano Arte e Cultura, a cultural center consisting of several spaces used to host events, concerts, plays, operas and various events, as well as the Art Museum of Italian Switzerland, which contains works from the Museo Cantonale d'Arte. Also worth mentioning among the activities that most VIPs do in Lugano is the classic lake cruise, an opportunity to charter a private yacht or boat on which to have lunch or dinner and, in the process, enjoy the stunning views that allow passengers on private flights to visit Lugano from a unique perspective.
Lugano's starred restaurants
Lugano's rich gastronomic scene allows people to experience delicacies belonging to traditional Ticino, Italian and Swiss cuisine thanks to expertly created flavor mixes. One of the high-end restaurants is the Locanda Barbarossa, a splendid restaurant located inside the Hotel Splendide Royal that offers diners gourmet cuisine to enjoy while also enjoying wonderful views of the lake. Another restaurant known for its chic and refined atmosphere located right in the center of the city is the Grand Café Restaurant, which offers traditional Ticino dishes with a special preference toward fish dishes. Finally, Soave10 is a typical bistro in the city that allows visitors to enjoy a wide selection of wines to accompany delicious Swiss cuisine.
Climate and best time to visit Lugano
Given its location in the southern part of Switzerland, Lugano enjoys a temperate climate influenced by Mediterranean currents that make summers quite warm and winters all in all mild. The spring period is characterized by pleasant temperatures that revive nature; rainy days are not so rare, but the overall scenery is still cool and pleasant for sightseeing. In summer, average temperatures can exceed even 30°C during the hottest days, an ideal climate that trekkers and hikers take advantage of to explore the nearby mountains. The fall season is truly picturesque as the hues that tint Lugano are almost unmissable: the city, in fact, is colored with reddish and golden hues that make the atmosphere incredibly magical. Temperatures cool down but still remain mild, while precipitation increases in frequency especially in November. Winter in Lugano is configured as a rather mild season compared to other Swiss locations: snowy days may happen, but they are not so frequent, although the surrounding mountains are tinged with white. In light of what has been said so far, the best time to charter a private jet to Lugano is undoubtedly late spring or autumn, intermediate seasons that provide pleasant weather and perfect for taking part in the events organized in the city while enjoying some peace of mind.
How and why to charter a private jet to Lugano
Lugano is one of the largest financial centers in Switzerland after Zurich and Geneva: therefore, businessmen and businesswomen who travel to the city for work-related matters are numerous every year. This has enabled Lugano International Airport (ICAO code LSZA) to operate about 20,000 flights a year while registering more than 150,000 passengers passing through, all thanks to multiple improvements to the runway that can now also accommodate charter flights. In fact, travelers who use private jets to arrive in the city can have access to a range of exclusive services thanks to the presence of the dedicated General Aviation Terminal, which is operated entirely separately from the one that operates scheduled flights. In it there is a large VIP Lounge and Business equipped with all the amenities to put elite passengers at ease, such as a free WiFi connection, VIP catering, personalized assistance with hotel reservations, food services, and private lounges where they can relax before heading into town. Private jets can land and take off at Lugano daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; however, flights outside this time slot can be made upon request regardless of the IFR or VFR instrument rules required to operate the selected route. However, it should be pointed out that the airport's close proximity to the mountains makes good weather conditions essential for flying since, with clouds and low visibility, it may be quite difficult to operate the routes. The airport is separated from the city center by about 7 kilometers in total, a distance that can be traveled by availing of various transfer services among which figure the possibility of traveling by limousine arriving in the city in about 20 minutes. Alternatively, it is also possible to travel by helicopter to some of the major cities located in close proximity to Lugano, so that the time can be cut in half according to the needs of the individual passenger.
How much does it cost to fly on a private jet in Lugano
Lugano can be reached from several major European cities, such as London, which is separated from the Swiss town by about 1 hour and 45 minutes of flight time; given the small size of the runway at the Ticino airport, it is possible to charter a Light Jet or Medium Jet at respective costs of about €10,000 and €17,000. One hour and 40 minutes is the total time to get to Lugano from Barcelona, another city among the most popular for in the private flight sector; chartering a Light Jet involves an expense of about €8,000, while availing of a Medium Jet costs an average of €15,000. Ordinary routes operated to and from Lugano include one that connects it with Vienna, the Austrian capital just 1 hour and 20 minutes away; chartering a Light Jet carries a cost of about €8,000, while that of a Medium Jet rises to about €14,000.
The best jet to fly to Lugano
The spacious Pilatus PC-12 is a turboprop aircraft perfect for arriving or departing from Lugano given its small runway size; it can accommodate up to 10 passengers including the pilot, and its cabin is large enough to provide some comfort for travelers. The maximum speed it can reach is around 550 km/h, while the range is around 3500 km. Among the light jets, it is worth mentioning the Nextant 400, an aircraft that integrates 7 seats: the speed it can reach is close to 700 km/h, with a maximum range of more than 4,000 km ideal for making medium-haul routes. Finally, one of the highest performing Medium Jets is the Hawker 850XP, which offers outstanding performance due to its cruising speed of no less than 800 km/h; its cabin is equipped with LCD lighting, reclining seats, and large storage space that allows the 8 passengers to make themselves comfortable and enjoy the flight.
The most frequent flights to and from Lugano
Below of the most frequent links to Lugano:
