Dolce vita and culture

Espresso in the morning, jazz in the evening

An espresso on the terrace, the lake sparkling in the morning light. In the evening, jazz in the piazza, the audience in summer attire, the music drifting across the water. And somewhere between the aperitif and the start of the concert, that feeling sets in: I wish I could stay here.

Summer on Lake Maggiore has a rhythm all of its own. It begins piano, with coffee and a view of the lake, building in intensity as the hours pass, until it reaches the crescendo of the golden hour, which is especially intense here. And then, almost without anyone noticing, evening sets in. The events at the lake are the perfect match for those summery vibes. We’d like to introduce two of them to you today:

It’s all about jazz
For many regular visitors to the lake, JazzAscona isn’t a question of if, but when. The festival, which takes over the town every year in June and July, has long since become a summer ritual. People come for the atmosphere. Because of the way the jazz echoes through the lanes, fills the piazza, and drifts across the lake.

And it enjoys the best accompaniments: the Negroni before the show, a chat with the people at the next table, and the leisurely stroll back to the hotel after the final set. Vista Lakefront Boutique Hotel is less than a five-minute walk from the festival venue. Perfetto.

Cinema under the stars
Anyone spending August at Lake Maggiore will get to experience the Locarno Film Festival. In Piazza Grande, where up to eight thousand people sit shoulder to shoulder as the screen lights up above them, something magical happens: shared laughter, excitement, hope, and fear as the viewers follow the characters’ journey. Watching a film, under the open sky, with a gentle breeze blowing in from the lake and the starry sky as your roof. Locarno Film Festival is high culture and, at the same time, the most laid-back event the film world has to offer.

We love summer on Lake Maggiore. So let’s make time for it. The days are long, the evenings even longer, and the programme – from JazzAscona to Locarno Film Festival – fills the hours with exactly what this region seems to be made for: enjoyment at its finest.

Vista Lakefront Boutique Hotel is the perfect setting. Come and dance with us to the sounds of summer on Lake Maggiore. A presto, see you soon!