Grotte di Rescia

Beaut Lake Lugano is on the border of orthern Italy and southern Switzerland, just north of the World Heritage Site of Monte San Giorgio. It's a popular place for lake and mountain tourism, via cruises on its waters, hikes around its shoreline, and treks around the likes of Monte Brè and Monte San Salvatore on the lake surrounds. Another highly famed body of water is 15 minutes' drive away at Lake Como, the third biggest lake in Italy (after Garda and Maggiore, natch). It's a swish spot that's seen celebs and the rich flock to it for centuries; have an envious gawk at the many villas on the shore to see how the other half live. Como is a popular place for watersports including sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing, for spa days and wildlife watching, and for general lakeside ambling around the small shoreside towns, reachable on the excellent Lake Como ferry service. Also look out for info and details of the local farms around Como, where you can call in to pick up fresh produce such as salami, cheese, honey and olive oil. Away from the lakes, delve into the cave system the site is named after, the Grotte di Rescia on mountain slopes on the eastern side of Lake Ceresio; hike the surrounding peaks; or potter around the old town of Porlezza on an art tour or around its medieval and Renaissance churches.