From Locarno to Mendrisiotto, the festivities under the tree in Ticino

Until 6 January, the most important centre of Italian-speaking Switzerland, which is also easily reached by train with the SBB from northern Italy, is once again dressed in magic with Winterland, the event that for years has transformed the Piazza Grande into a unique winter stage. The 2025/26 edition brings with it the new fairy tale "Nel cuore del tempo" (In the heart of time), an immersive audiovisual tale that illuminates the old town centre, giving the city an atmosphere suspended between light and music. For seven weeks, Locarno becomes an enchanted village that extends the tourist season and whose beating heart is the historic ice rink, flanked by brand new attractions such as the 18-hole miniature ice golf course and a 250-metre zip line that flies over the Piazza Grande. For food lovers, the gastronomic offer is just as interesting and ranges from the Fondue Chalet to the Chinoise Igloo to the Winterland Express, a 1920s railway carriage transformed into a French bistro with Café de Paris specialities. Rounding out the Christmas experience is a full calendar of live concerts featuring local and international artists and free creative workshops for children.

Winterland is also sustainability: and reductions on the Winterland Card. However, Christmas in Ticino does not stop in Locarno. In the Mendrisiotto region, until 20 December, villages and historic squares host widespread markets that smell of spices and local handicrafts, and the most eagerly awaited event is the Via degli Elfi (Street of the Elves) in Rancate: on 29 November, more than 40 exhibitors enliven the historic centre with themed settings, workshops, songs and dances that recreate the life of these mythological and supernatural creatures.

https://www.ticino.ch/it/events/details/winterland-2025-26/10074.html