Holidays in SwissMiniatur
SwissMiniatur (Switzerland in Miniature) opened in 1959. The site was chosen primarily for the exceptional beauty of the local landscape and temperate climate. From the outset, the goal of creating the miniature park was to provide a concise, miniature representation of everything that makes Swiss architecture so unique and captivating.
SwissMiniatur allows you to see virtually all of Switzerland's landmarks—ancient cities, monuments, villages, and even the transportation system—in miniature, at the classic scale of 1:25.
The miniature park is located in Lugano on the shores of Lake Ceresio, surrounded by Monte Generoso and San Salvatore, renowned for their rich fauna and flora. Melide is located at the northern end of the bridge that crosses the lake. Visitors to the park have the advantage of being able to access SwissMiniatur from the highway, the local railway, and even from the sea by pleasure boat. Regular bus tours also operate to the park, but most tourists prefer to reach the mini-park by boat from Lugano—it takes about 40 minutes and offers stunning views.
Anyone with a taste for Swiss watchmaking traditions expects SwissMiniatur to offer a higher level of "mechanization" in its animated models than Minimundus or Mini-Europe, but the tradition of classic model making reigns supreme. The models in the Swiss park are predominantly static.
Despite the fact that "Switzerland in Miniature" is younger than, for example, its Dutch counterpart and features fewer architectural models, and the local railway is 500 meters shorter, it feels more intimate, and the layout has been more inventive. The park also has another significant advantage: its geographical location, which is much more advantageous than many of its peers. The location is practically ideal not only because of the comfortable climate, which is naturally much more pleasant here on the Italian border than in The Hague, but also because of the mountainous setting, which provides a magnificent natural backdrop for the architectural models, a feature particularly prized by photographers—of which there are always plenty.
SwissMiniatur offers a wide range of Switzerland's natural beauty, and the castle models, set against the backdrop of natural mountains and waterfalls, naturally appear more vibrant and interesting than on flat terrain. When photographing the architectural models of some buildings, you'll notice that the originals are located nearby, providing an opportunity to experience firsthand what a 1:25 scale model really is.
The park boasts approximately 125 architectural models, which are arranged quite freely, unlike, for example, the interior of the Madurodam mini-park.
A ride on the mini-train around the park is a great attraction for children. Perhaps the boarding point for this train is the only truly crowded spot in the entire complex. The rest of SwissMiniatur exudes a tranquility and a leisurely pace, reminiscent of traditional Japanese urban mini-parks.
Many of the mini-park's models were created by leading Swiss model studios. They are truly impressive, measuring 1.5 or even twice the height of a human, and you can even enter the architectural model of the Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano). Incidentally, the model of the Italian cathedral in the Swiss park is a nod to the park's proximity to Italy, as SwissMiniatur is just 10 km from the border, and Milan is less than an hour's drive away.
The mini-park's popularity is growing every year, in no small part due to its gradual expansion. It may not be expanding as rapidly as many other European mini-parks, but SwissMiniature is doing so very thoughtfully, as is typical here in Switzerland – slowly and with great precision.