On the world map, Lugano is just a tiny dot. But not just any dot: it’s a small point at the heart of Europe, lying on one of the most important road and rail transit routes on this side of the globe. That size isn’t always proportional to strength is something Switzerland itself demonstrates - and Lugano is a clear example.

With a population of 68,000 (spread over 75 square kilometers), Lugano has the size of a small New York City neighborhood. And yet, it is Switzerland’s third-largest financial center, offering the services, quality of life, and cultural diversity of a true city. The presence of 141 different nationalities - out of the 193 recognized by the United Nations - speaks for itself.

This multicultural spirit is partly rooted in geography: Ticino is a sliver of Switzerland stretching into Italy, and Lugano - thanks in part to the picturesque village of Gandria, one of its districts - is a true border city. Combined with Switzerland’s unique social organization, Lugano’s proximity to Italy made it, throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, more than just a place known for good food and punctual trains. It became a land of freedom.

Here, many of the brilliant minds behind the birth of the Unification of Italy - and not only Them - found refuge and printed banned books. After World War II, Lugano’s international outlook took the form of a thriving financial sector. By the end of the century, it led to the founding of the first university in Italian-speaking Switzerland.

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