Located close to the stunning Swiss city of Lugano is the mountain of Monte Brè. With a short funicular ride, hike, bus or cycle to the top, you can discover the wonderful beauty of Monte Brè. The highlights of the mountain include the stunning 180° views of Lake Lugano and the Ticino region, a beautiful restaurant and multiple hikes that you can take around the mountain top.
In this post we highlight some facts about the mountain of Monte Brè, as well as how to visit best and prices of the local funicular. We also share some information on the restaurants at the peak worth visiting.
Monte Brè Facts
It’s always great to know some facts about a location before visiting. So here are our top facts we wanted to share about Monte Brè:
- The total elevation is 925 meters
- The Monte Brè funicular has been transporting people since 1912
- The village population of Brè has around 300 residents, which dates back to 1280
- In 1959, 12 Roman tombs were found near the village of Brè with items such as bronze bracelets
- The mountain is reachable all year round
- Since the mountain is located in Ticino, it is considered one of the sunniest points in Switzerland
We’ve visited a few times, check below our late Autumn photo compared to our snowy winter photo of the village of Brè!
Monte Brè is the perfect location to watch the
Click HEre
sun set above Lugano!
THingS To Do At Monte Brè
Hiking Around Monte Brè
There are a few hikes that include Monte Brè. You can make a circular route around the mountain peak from the village of Brè. This is an easy route where you can walk first through the forestry area, up to the panoramic spot and then down via a 2nd panoramic point and along a tarmac pathway back to the village.
From Monte Brè, you can also consider hiking longer such as to the peak of Monte Boglia. This is something easily done in a day and we personally enjoyed this hike to Monte Boglia during the Summer.
Enjoying The View
The view is of course the main highlight of visiting the top. The panoramic area has a fantastic view down to Lugano and surrounding mountains of San Salvatore, Monte Lema, Monte Tamaro and Monte Generoso!
If your staying in a hotel in Lugano, see if you can spot it! As well as seeing the local promenade and the trains passing through Lugano train station. You can also see any airplanes that may be landing or taking off at the airport, though it’s quite small so don’t expect any large planes here!
You’ll also be able to spot the local Lugano boats touring around the lake and the Lugano pedalo’s during Summer!
A Bite To Eat
We love grabbing a small bite to eat to a full meal when travelling and exploring. Monte Brè has many restaurants nearby that you can consider eating or getting a drink at. See below our ‘Monte Brè restaurants’ section in this post for more detail.
How To Get To Monte Brè
The Monte Brè Funicular
The most popular, fun and easiest way is to use the Monte Brè funicular. Located not far from Lugano city centre, you can take the Monte Brè Funicular multiple times during an hour depending on when you arrive. There are two sections, with the first section every 15 minutes and the second section every 30 minutes.
Price of the Monte Brè Funicular
For a standard ticket, here are the current prices of the funicular:
| SINGLE | |
| Adults > 16 years old | CHF 17.00 |
| Kids aged 6 – 16 | CHF 8.50 |
| Children aged 0 – 5 | Free |
| RETURN | |
| Adults > 16 years old | CHF 26.00 |
| Kids aged 6 – 16 | CHF 13.00 |
| Children aged 0 – 5 | Free |
However you should check all fares on the website or on the day of your visit, as there are also discounts and special prices that you may be eligible for.
Fun Tip: You can buy a combination ticket of the funicular with a boat ride. This allows you to ascend up Monte Brè with the funicular, then to walk down to the pretty village of Gandria before taking the local boat back to Lugano city centre!
By Bus To Monte Brè
If you wish to take another route to the top, there is a local bus (number 12) to the village of Brè from Lugano directly. From the village you can then walk up to the top with a short 20 minute route. This is a great alternative as you can see the valley and the village of Brè from a pretty viewpoint along the way.
This bus is also suitable to use when the funicular is not working. For example, the funicular closes for around 2 weeks each year for maintenance – usually in January. So during this time, hiking or the bus is best!
By Hiking or Cycling
Alternatively you could hike or cycle up completely from Lugano, which is for those who have plenty of time free and enjoy a challenge!
During the warmer months, we often see many cyclists heading up the mountain as well as hikers. It’s a good climb that starts between the houses and then into the forest area of the mountain. Once at the top, the view is the best reward!
TIP: For local hiking routes, check our best hiking route suggestions for Ticino!
The monte brè restaurants
Open for most of the warmer months, the main restaurant is called Ristorante Vetta. From here you can sit with a local Ticinese dish or drink while enjoying the views down to Lake Lugano and the city. Their dishes are perfectly sized and not to be rushed!
You can also choose to stop at Osteria Funicolare, a colourful spot that make the best fruit cocktails. This is more for those who wish to have a small but delicious bite to eat before exploring more of the mountain.
Alternatively you can follow the mountainous path down one side of the mountain to the village of Brè. As here you can find two additional restaurants; Ristorante Salotto Brè (our personal favourite!) and Grotto Castagneto.
More restaurants within Lugano offer also some fantastic dishes. You can check our Lugano Restaurant Guide here!
monte brè or san salvatore?
As you might notice, Monte Brè is on one side of Lake Lugano with Monte San Salvatore on the other side. Both have amazing views looking down to the city of Lugano, so we can understand why it might be hard to pick which one you visit!
We believe the pros of visiting Monte Brè are the following:
- 180° views of Lake Lugano
- Further hiking routes up to Monte Boglia (2 hours) or down to Gandria (1 hour)
- 2 delicious restaurants (weather permitting)
- Can choose to take either a local bus (with some walking) or the funicular to get there
- Perfect for watching the sunset from!
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