Gallivanting among galleries: it is said that upon emerging from the Gotthard Tunnel on the Ticino side, one finds oneself in a new, tropical country, leaving the often cold and foggy northern region of Switzerland behind. However; when I first got out of the car in Canton Ticino--after a brilliant drive through warm sunshine that lasted until the entrance to the tunnel--I was knocked back by a cold, wet wind.

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ARTS & CULTURE

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Gallivanting among galleries: it is said that upon emerging from the Gotthard Tunnel on the Ticino side, one finds oneself in a new, tropical country, leaving the often cold and foggy northern region of Switzerland behind. However; when I first got out of the car in Canton Ticino--after a brilliant drive through warm sunshine that lasted until the entrance to the tunnel--I was knocked back by a cold, wet wind.

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Was this the famous Ticino weather that so many tourists flock to, and so many of Europe's great artists and intellectuals took refuge in?

However, as we continued down toward Ascona, the wind and cold started to subside, the sun started to peek out and I started to realise why this area has been a haven for so many decades. By the time we parked our car, I too had fallen in love with Ascona's beautiful medieval streets, breathtaking view of Lago Maggiore and its surrounding...

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