Lugano is the largest Italian speaking city outside Italian borders, being the chief town of Ticino district. It was the terminal of Via Varesina, an ancient Roman way leading from Milan to the lake. During the Renaissance age, Lugano was contended between Como and Milan, before being ultimately annexed by the latter, under the authority of the Visconti and - later - Sforza families. After the decay of the Duchy of Milan, in the 16th century, it passed under the government of the Swiss Confederation, until the Napoleonic age. The town centre is rich of art treasures, such as the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, dating back to 1499 and frescoed by Bernardino Luini (Leonardo da Vinci’s pupil) in Renaissance style.

This small village, standing on the coastline of the lake of Lugano, was a major centre for stonemasonry, as stated in documents dating back to the 11th century. It was also an obligatory pass for travellers heading to the close by peninsula. In the 19th century, the construction of the dam and the upper railroad gave a strong impulse to the economical growth of Melide; today, the town is mainly a tourist and leisure location.