| Boat Pier |  |
| Campione is served by the boats of the Lake Lugano Navigation Company. It can also be reached by a unique road from Bissone (opposite Melide) or on foot through the mountains. |
| Casino Municipale (1) | |
| Some say it is a genius work, others say it is horribly ugly. The casino is the work of the Ticino architect Mario Botta, who also designed the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Evry, France, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in the USA, the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan and many other buildings in Switzerland and around the world. |
| Casino Municipale (2) | |
| Built in 2007 to replace the old 1917 casino, this monstrous building was illuminated at night and visible from Lugano. This is no longer the case: it went bankrupt in 2018, bringing financial disaster to the city as it was the main employer. It may reopen in 2022... |
| Chiesa Parrocchiale (1) | |
| Our virtual stroll will end with a short visit to this modern church with its impressive bell tower. |
| Chiesa Parrocchiale (2) | |
| The parish church of Campione d'Italia was built in the 1960s. Its architecture is bold, with a nave bathed in light. Even if you don't like modern churches, it's really worth a visit! |
| Chiesa Parrocchiale (3) | |
| When you see the architecture of the Campione d'Italia church from outside, you know in advance that the interior will not resemble a traditional, dark and overcharged Catholic church. However, you will be surprised by its bright atmosphere and bold decoration! |
| Galleria Civica (1) | |
| This gallery dedicated to art exhibitions was once the church of San Zenone, first mentioned in 756. It was rebuilt in the 14th century and transformed into a baroque style in the 18th century. |
| Galleria Civica (2) | |
| In 1967, the church of San Zenone became the property of the municipality, which carried out restoration work during which remains of the past were revealed. These can now be admired thanks to a steel and glass floor. Since the 1990s it has been open to the public as a "Galleria Civica", offering a permanent exhibition, conferences, concerts and various cultural events. |
| Lake Promenade (1) | |
| It is a pity that the lakefront, instead of offering a large green space conducive to an atmosphere of dolce vita, is occupied only by a huge car park and two pontoons to accommodate yachts! |
| Lake Promenade (2) | |
| We have come to the end of our virtual stroll, which has only shown you a few aspects of Campione d'Italia. We may return one day to shoot more panoramas! |
| Lake Promenade (3) | |
| In the distance we can see Lugano, which is less than 4km as the crow flies and 12km by the shortest route. Although the border is 500m away as the crow flies, the nearest Italian town, Lanzo d'Itelvi, is 14km away! |
| Piazza Roma (1) | |
| The old building you see here is one of the most ancient in the city. It is the Oratory of St Peter (Oratorio di San Pietro), all that remains of a Lombard Romanesque church dating back to the 8th century. We didn't go to see it up close, our attention was drawn to the vaulted passageway that opens here on the right. |
| Piazza Roma (2) | |
| When we shot the panoramas in September 2021, Campione d'Italia looked a bit like a ghost town. The pandemic since 2020 and the closure of the casino since 2018 have emptied the town of its visitors. It's a pity, because the city is not lacking in charm. |
| Piazza Roma (3) | |
| With its shady benches and café terraces, the lakeside of Campione has an air of Lugano, even if the prices charged are much lower. It must be said that the Italian enclave, where the currency is the Swiss franc, is exempt from European VAT... |
| Small square with olive trees | |
| Campione is tiny: from the Swiss border in the south to this stretch of olive grove, it's only a little over one kilometre. Further north, there is only a beach and a small harbour a few hundred metres away and the rest of the coast is inaccessible. |
| Town Hall | |
| In the Lombard dialect of Como, the town is called Campiùn. Contrary to appearances, its name does not mean "champion" but is probably a distortion of Campilionum, the name of a late Roman castle. The addition of "d'Italia" dates back to 1933, when the "podestà" (fascist municipal government) obtained permission from Mussolini to change the name of the town. |
| Via Airaghi Tomaso (1) | |
| Instead of going straight on, we will take this lane on the left to discover two viewpoints on the lake. |
| Via Airaghi Tomaso (2) | |
| At the other end of Via Isidoro Bianchi, Via Airaghi Tomaso connects the narrow quay that runs along the lakefront with Viale Marco da Campione, the main street that passes in front of the church and continues to the Swiss border. |
| Via Airaghi Tomaso (3) | |
| This alleyway leads to the very narrow quay where the fishermen's boats are moored. It offers a beautiful view of the Ceresio (Lake Lugano) and Monte San Salvatore on the other side. |
| Via Isidoro Bianchi | |
| We were hoping to discover a picturesque alley, but Via Isidoro Bianchi offers no interest... except that right in the middle, a dark passage opens onto the deep blue of the lake. |
| Viale Marco da Campione | |
| The streets of Campione d'Italia are so narrow that they are one-way. Coming from Switzerland on the only access road, you follow Corso Italia, a little higher up, and when you leave again you follow this street. |
| Vicolo Arrigo di Campione | |
| We shot these panoramas on a relatively overcast September day when the lake was almost phosphorescent in colour. |
