Great food and drink at the Locarno Film Festival

You can’t live on air, love, and films alone. Fortunately, Locarno offers culinary treasures away from the Piazza Grande that will delight more than just filmmakers.

Whether you arrive by train or car: once you’ve made it through the seemingly endless Gotthard Tunnel, Ticino welcomes you with mostly clear skies, Mediterranean flair, and a climate so mild that you’d think you were in neighbouring Italy. It’s no wonder that Italian-speaking Switzerland attracts around three million tourists each year, all keen to enjoy a break away from the colder weather.

Take, for example, Locarno, the pearl of Lake Maggiore and home to the legendary Locarno Film Festival since 1946. The festival takes place every August and transforms the small town of Ticino into a bustling hive of producers, directors, and actors presenting their films. It’s well worth a visit, especially for film lovers, but also for those hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite celebrity. There’s hardly any other film festival where the A‑listers are more relaxed than in Locarno.

Feast your way through the città vecchia

However, if you need a break from the glamour, there are plenty of other wonderful things to do in Locarno away from the film festival. For example, dining. The best place to do this is in the città vecchia, or old town, on Via Cittadella. Here you will find an enchanting traditional restaurant, the Ristorante Cittadella, which serves what is probably the best lobster pasta in the entire city – and a panna cotta that is no less fabulous.

If you get lost in the old town after your meal, don’t worry. Locarno’s città vecchia is tiny, so sooner or later you’ll end up in Piazza Sant’Antonio, where you’ll find a monument to Baron Marcacci and the church dedicated to St. Anthony. Also worth a visit is the Pasticceria Marnin, famous far beyond city limits for its incredible panettone. Also worth a culinary detour is the Osteria Pozzo, which tempts diners with Ticino specialities and outdoor tables where you can meet locals over a glass of wine in the evening.

See and be seen in Locarno

Speaking of wine, the film festival is also a time for partying. Until the early 2000s, the Grand Hotel was the place to be, where guests, filmmakers, and journalists sipped drinks into the early hours of the morning, underneath the gigantic 800-kilo Murano chandelier in the lobby. Unfortunately, the historic Belle Époque building, which once hosted film legend Marlene Dietrich, has been empty since 2005, but is set to reopen in 2027 as a 5‑star hotel under the banner of the Marriott Luxury Collection. So if you’re looking for more than just a great selfie backdrop, head to the Bistro Teatro Paravento. With its terraced garden, it’s a charming substitute for the Grand Hotel and a meeting place for a colourful crowd during the festival.

The morning after

Hungover or not, mingling with the Locarnesi as they drink their first espresso or cappuccino in the morning is a must. The chic Bar Tesoro, where you can almost feel like a local and watch the hustle and bustle of everyday life, is a fabulous choice. Absolutely top notch: the best braided bread loaf in Locarno.

Afterwards, a trip to the Maggia Valley is a must: there’s no better cure for a night of dancing than jumping into the cool water below the Ponte Brolla, where the Melezza and Maggia rivers meet and the wide river basin offers plenty of space for sunbathing. A visit to the nearby Grotto America is a must. This 400-year-old grotto was where the Ticinesi used to fortify themselves one final time before emigrating to distant America via Genoa.

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