Feast your way through this marvellous region via its first-rate food and wine offerings
Tucked away in a southern tip of Switzerland – edging towards the Italian border, in fact – is beautiful Mendrisiotto, a region that feels a little like one of the country’s best-kept secrets. Once in this beautiful area, you’ll feel like you’ve unlocked a treasure trove – because essentially, you have done.
Within blissfully easy reach you’ll find gorgeous scenery and unrivalled tranquillity at shimmering Lake Ceresio, remnants of ancient worlds at Monte San Giorgio and glimpses into medieval civilisations at Tremona Archaeological Park. But alongside its historical credentials, some of the best experiences in Mendrisiotto are centred around its modern-day highlights: its celebrated food and drink scene.
To get you started on your gastronomic journey we’ve picked some our favourite wine and food-focused activities from around Mendrisiotto, highlighted below. And for more inspiration and wide-ranging experiences, simply visit www.mendrisiottoturismo.ch/en and start booking an unforgettable trip.
One of Mendrisiotto’s many hidden treasures is its bounty of high-quality wine, produced around the region’s impressive 360 hectares of vineyards. Taste the good stuff where it’s meant to be tasted – in one of the many atmospheric wine cellars – during a regular Saturday tasting session. You’ll be able to speak to winemakers and find out more about this ancient, skilled process as you enjoy a drop or two.
Immerse yourself in two of Mendrisiotto’s most valuable offerings – its wine and its scenery – in one activity on the Bike & Wine tour. Hop on two wheels and your guide will lead you around some of the region’s most enticing vineyards. Not only will you be able to taste some exemplary vino (including a superlative merlot, a regional speciality), but you’ll also get to soak up some of the most region’s most beautiful landscapes as you travel between wineries.
If you’ve had your fill of great wine and you’re looking for the next step on the journey, treat yourself to a little grappa on a visit to Azienda Agricola e vitivinicola Cadenazzi. The experts at this historical winery can supply insights about how this distinguished brandy is produced, as well as recommending sampling combinations designed to bring out a range of flavours. After all, if it was good enough for Ernest Hemingway...
If all that wine tasting has made you hungry – or even a little sleepy – fear not, as the Sleep, Wine & Dine package has you covered. This brilliant offer features a two-night stay at the elegant Conca Bella Boutique Hotel (Ticino’s first ‘wine hotel’, housing its own cellar with thousands of top-quality bottles) with a four-course tasting menu (and wine-pairing, naturally), another fabulous dinner at atmospheric wine-focused restaurant Corte del vino Ticino, plus a chance to pedal through the Bike & Wine tour mentioned above. Whether you’re a budding wine-expert or just want to learn more about what you’re drinking, this is the ultimate indulgent escape.
Navigate one of four beautiful cities (Mendrisiotto, Lugano, Locarno or Bellinzona) on a culinary odyssey by embarking on a food and wine tour. These deliciously experiential wanderings allow visitors to explore historical areas, guided by a local expert, with plenty of stops along the way to sample regional specialities and local wines, including a white merlot. These inclusive tours also cater for those following vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets.
Cooking polenta is not so difficult. Cooking superb polenta to an authentic recipe is not so easy. Find out how to prepare this storied dish using traditional methods, prepared in a copper cauldron using stone-ground maize, and all taking place in a watermill on the scenic Breggia river. It’s a meal – and a recipe – you won’t forget in a hurry.
Whatever you do with your time in Mendrisiotto, you’ll need some great accommodation to match the great food and wine you’ve been enjoying. Luckily, there’s no shortage of options. Take your pick from cool, contemporary hotels, cosy B&Bs, campsites surrounded by beautiful nature, rustic farm stays and much more. You’ll wake up well-rested and ready to start the next day’s adventures.
