The Spandau Ballet, Eastenders and Gogglebox star Martin Kemp, with his wife Shirlie, fall for a corner of Switzerland
My wife Shirlie and I agree that our favourite moment – the one that sums up our wonderful mini-break to the magical canton of Ticino – was sitting on the sun-drenched balcony at Locanda Gandriese in Gandria, sipping the local white merlot while waiting in anticipation for the arrival of a particularly delicious spaghetti dish and people-watching the sailors, windsurfers and canoeists on the sparkling waters of Lake Lugano below.
It was a special moment, part of a special trip that will live long in our memory. We felt we’d earned our lunch too, having given ourselves a good workout on the olive path to Gandria – an excursion you simply have to do if you are taking a trip down this way.
I have always loved travelling in Italy and would always have said it was my favourite destination to visit – perhaps because the Italians seemed to enjoy Spandau Ballet so much in the 1980s and we played so many memorable gigs in their football stadiums and the like during those heady days. So I suppose it was only natural that I felt right at home in the Swiss-Italian environment of Ticino, where the flavours and smells of Italy are everywhere, but combined with that reassuring Swiss sense of style, elegance and efficiency for which they are so famous.
And taking this gentle climb to Gandria, it really took me back to how I felt when I walked around the Italian lakes and towns all those years ago. This former fishing village has all the charm, peace and character that you think can only exist in fantasy. It was fascinating to see the locals living their lives in the hills like this, all looking so well and content with life. There’s a lot to be said for it.
Having meandered through the groves and woods on the shore of the lake and taking in the beautiful San Vigilio Church above us, we reached the restaurant which, like everywhere we went on this visit, was humming with noise.
We were surrounded by people who, like us, had enjoyed the olive path and were now loving the atmosphere of this stunning little restaurant. Of course, the food simply added to the experience and my pasta was sensational, prepared by Davide Crobe’s team, who specialise in Sardinian cuisine. Perfetto.
We were then escorted down some stone steps onto the boat at Societa Navigazione Lago di Lugano.
There are few things I take greater pleasure out of these days than sitting at the back of a boat, cutting through serene waters, especially when there are views to behold like you have on Lake Lugano. The backdrop of the San Salvatore mountain with the pretty city of Lugano coming into view on the shores made for a little voyage that will stay with us for a long while.
There is one of those characteristic funicular railway links from Lugano to Carona, the village that sits at the peak of San Salvatore – and from there you can take yet more scenic walks through the exotic plants and flowers that you find in this Swiss-Italian part of the world.
The fact we were surrounded by palms and other plants you’d expect to see in the Mediterranean took me by surprise, because I had never linked Switzerland with this sort of climate – or indeed, the whole Italian vibe of the canton of Ticino. But we learned it’s because of the Alps that this part of the world is protected by the north European weather and makes it so much milder than the rest of Switzerland – and the perfect place to visit in early Spring.
I gather the German-speaking part of the country calls Ticino Sonnenstube (or sun porch) because it gets so much more sun than the rest of the country.
We also learnt about the origins of the many cooling grottos we saw on our trip. Patricia, the font of all knowledge, explained how, many years ago, locals discovered a natural refrigeration system in the mountains.
The mountain goats introduced them to the idea when they were seen burying their heads in the ground during the hot summer months to reach the cooler air. So in Ticino food started to be stored in caves in the rock where, because of the constant air circulation, the temperature remained the same all year round, making it perfect for storing meat, cheese and wine.
Then, over the years, farmers started putting stone tables and benches out in front of these ‘grottos’, and when they had a moment to relax they would sit in the shade and have a snack of cold meats. These places soon became meeting places for the community and drink started to be taken there. The locals would drink gazzosa (a sweet fizzy water) or Merlot wine out of a tazzino (small clay cup) and often play a game of boccia, which is a bit like boule. It all sounds so idyllic.
Then came the invention of fridges and so there was less of a need for grottos to exist – but happily these places seem to be undergoing some sort of renaissance and, particularly in Ticino, more and more modern grottos are popping up all over the mountainsides, less out of necessity and more out of fun and finding new ways to relax. I love that.
Another place that has such fond memories for me is a little way north of Lugano at Locarno, where Spandau played on the central square, the Piazza Grande, around 35 years ago in 1987.
It brought the memories flooding back. We used to have such good times touring this part of the world and I probably thought we might still have been in Italy when we played here, because it has such an Italian feel to it. Locarno still has an event every year called the City of Guitars, so it’s no wonder I feel so at ease here.
But one thing I’m pretty certain I didn’t do 35 years ago was head up the funicular to Madonna del Sasso in Orselina, at the start of the cable car ride into the mountain, which Shirlie describes in her account of our trip.
Before we got into the cable car, we had the privilege of being taken on a guided tour of Madonna del Sasso, which is quite the most beautiful and awe-inspiring church I have visited. It dates back to the late 15th century and, while the inside is brilliantly decorated and the courtyards have fascinating sculptures to look at, it also offers the most beautiful platform view over Locarno.
It’s a pilgrimage church and you can see why – people send in their own pictures of miracles they believe they have been a part of, and these are displayed in the church along with the more historical pieces of art on show. It is stunning, and you have to visit it yourself to appreciate it.
Having done so much exploring during our days here in Ticino, it was great to know we could get back to our own sanctuary at the Grand Hotel Castagnola, where we were looked after so well.
With my back giving me a bit of grief (it’s always going to while I am doing so much travelling, touring my Back to the 80s nights) I needed a bit of R&R in the evenings and the spa at the hotel gave me the treatment I needed to make sure I stayed in one piece – and all with the exquisite style that we soon became accustomed to on our journey through Ticino.
This mini break was truly an eye-opener for the pair of us – we had no idea this slice of Switzerland existed, literally jutting into Italy like a wedge of cheese on the map (which is a fairly appropriate simile when I think of it).
It seems to take on so many Italian characteristics while always remaining a truly Swiss experience. It was a little piece of paradise to take back to England and we’ll remember it forever. Ciao Ticino.
Discover Switzerland for yourself at myswitzerland.com
For more information on Ticino go to Ticino.ch
Switzerland is easily reachable via train from London or by Swiss International Air Lines. And once you land, the famously efficient public transport will take you the regions you want to visit by train, bus or boat using the Swiss Travel Pass available from the Switzerland Travel Centre.