Lugano Elegance

Ticino in late May sits in a different climate to the rest of Switzerland. The lake is warm, the light is Italian, and Piazza Riforma — Lugano's main square — functions as a natural salon when the traffic is cleared and the cars arrive. Lugano Elegance has been using this setting since 2019, and it suits the format well.

The 2026 edition runs 21 to 23 May across three days. Thursday opens with a welcome parade through the city centre. Friday is a driving day through the Ticino countryside — the route changes annually and tends to use roads that don't appear in most driving guides. Saturday is the concours proper: around 40 invited cars judged across six classes, from pre-war coachwork to modern limited-production machinery. Entry throughout is free, which is unusual at this level. Class 6 this year pays tribute to Ilario Bandini, with his grandson Michele Bandini chairing the jury.

The scale is deliberately small. Forty cars means you can spend proper time with each entry rather than moving with a crowd. Past Best of Show winners have subsequently competed at Pebble Beach — the jury takes the judging seriously, and it shows in the field quality. The lakeside promenade setting means the cars are in direct competition with the view across to the Luganese hills, which is a competition most concours would lose.

From Zürich, the A2 south through the Gotthard tunnel reaches Lugano in around two hours. The N2 via Airolo is slower and considerably better. Coming from Milan, it's 75 minutes on the A9. The drive along the lake into the city on the SS340 is worth doing once.