Lakes, Mountain Roads, and a Promise Kept
An accessible journey through Ticino and the Italian lake district — for a mother, her friend, and a daughter who kept her word.
Some trips begin with a destination. This one began with a promise.
Years before the pandemic quietly shelved our plans, I had promised my mom a trip to Switzerland. When we finally started planning in earnest, I had two goals: fulfill that promise, and find a way to do it that truly worked for her. Mom's walking has slowed over the years, and the kind of trip that looks effortless in a brochure can be quietly exhausting — or worse, inaccessible — in real life. Add her dear friend Gloria to the party, and suddenly the logistics of river cruises (her original wish) got complicated: three travelers, single supplement surcharges, and ships that, however charming, aren't yet designed with mobility in mind.
So I started thinking differently. What if, instead of a cruise, we found one beautiful place to settle into — and let the region come to us?
The adventure begins — Mom and Gloria at O'Hare, ready to go
Finding the perfect base
I knew Lake Como was on many travelers' lists, but its narrow lanes, ZTL restricted-traffic zones, and charming-but-steep hotel approaches gave me pause. Drop-off logistics alone were a puzzle, and accessible room information was frustratingly hard to pin down online — a shower listed in a description can easily turn out to be a showerhead mounted over a tall, narrow tub, which simply wasn't going to work for mom.
Then I remembered something from a previous trip: the Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino, just over the border from Milan, with its own gorgeous lake and a sunnier, warmer character than most people associate with Switzerland. Lake Lugano turned out to be exactly what we needed. Zooming in on the map and cross-referencing with street view — a trick I rely on — I spotted the Parco Paradiso Hotel: a two-bedroom penthouse with two bathrooms, a flat drop-off area right out front, and most importantly, a step-in shower. No climbing over a tall, narrow tub. Just easy, dignified access.
The Parco Paradiso penthouse welcomed us in style — Franciacorta on arrival.
And then there was the terrace. Overlooking the lake and the Alps beyond, it became the heart of our trip — the place we returned to each evening with local wine and the quiet satisfaction of a day well spent.
A first day worth savoring
On our very first full day in Ticino, I had arranged a private tour and tasting at Tenuta San Giorgio, a small family vineyard terraced into the steep hills above the lake. Our guide was wonderful — knowledgeable, warm, and generous with her recommendations for the rest of our trip. The view during the tasting was reason enough to come, but the wines, and especially the grappa, were a revelation. We loaded up on bottles, which made our evenings on that terrace even better.
"You find the kind of local wine you can't buy anywhere else, made by people who have tended the same hillside for generations. That's what travel is for."
A private tour in a vineyard overlooking the lake — the kind of moment no itinerary can manufacture.
Five lakes in one trip
From Lugano, the whole lake district opened up to us. The accessible ferries on each lake were a gift — smooth boarding, no steps, and a lovely way to arrive somewhere new without worrying about parking. We explored Lake Lugano by passenger ferry and had a leisurely lunch in the pretty village of Morcote.
Mom and Gloria on the ferry — accessible, scenic, and thoroughly delightful.
On two other days, we crossed to Lake Maggiore, using the car ferry to reach Stresa on the western shore. Our vineyard guide had tipped us off to La Rampolina, a restaurant high in the hills above the town — the approach road has its quirks, but the food and the views more than reward the effort.
La Rampolina above Stresa — worth every curve in the road.
Lake Como was wonderful, though I'll confess: I forgot to pack mom's disability parking placard, which would have made things considerably easier. The paths between parking and the lakeside sites are uneven and the lots fill quickly — a good reminder that even experienced travelers have packing days they'd like back. We also spent a morning at Lake Orta, the smallest and westernmost of the lakes, almost entirely free of tour groups. Its water is extraordinarily clear, the town is serene, and I am already planning a return.
A birthday lunch that became the highlight of the trip
The trip coincided with mom's birthday, which I may or may not have engineered. Our guide at San Giorgio connected us with her friends on Lake Maggiore who run a small bed and breakfast — and they agreed to host us for a private lunch in their garden. We sat in the sun with people who had lived on this lake most of their lives, eating food grown nearby, and felt, for a few hours, like we belonged there too.
That is the kind of moment no itinerary can manufacture. It just has to find you — and it's more likely to find you when someone who knows the region introduces you to it properly.
What made this trip work
Mom got her Switzerland. She got Italy. She got five lakes, a penthouse terrace, a birthday she won't forget, and a trip that never once asked more of her than she could give. Gloria got the adventure she signed up for. And I got to watch both of them fall in love with a corner of Europe that doesn't get nearly enough attention.
Planning travel that is truly inclusive — not just "accessible" on paper, but genuinely comfortable and joyful — is the work I care most about. If you have someone in your life with a promise that's been waiting, I'd love to help you keep it.
Ready to plan your own lakes adventure? I specialize in making once-in-a-lifetime trips work for every traveler. Get in touch — let's make it happen.