Benvenuti in Ticino! ticino.ch Ascona Gabriele Gendotti Councillor of State and Director of DECS (Department of Culture, Education and Sport) UEFA EURO 2008: We’re there, too! Ticino is also participating in this impor- Their respective presence at Lugano tant sporting event, which next June will and Ascona – this is the second aspect animate various stadiums and cities of that places Ticino under the spotlights of 3 Switzerland and Austria. UEFA EURO 2008 – is recognition of the We “Ticinesi” are also involved and not special tourist resources and attractions just as spectators at the matches, which to be found south of St. Gotthard. will be enjoyed passionately down to the The collateral events, visits to scenic 90th minute, or better, as every coach sites, and the activities that will be organ- is well aware, down to the referee’s final ised for the over 400 journalists following whistle. Our canton will be playing at the national teams will undoubtedly lend least two roles in these European Foot- a winning image to the Swiss-Italian lan- ball Championships. Firstly, because guage and culture. A part of Switzerland three teams participating in the tourna- that I am certain will arouse the curiosity ment have selected Ticino as the site of of many and a desire to return to spend their training camps: the national teams a longer stay with us. I therefore wish a of Switzerland and Sweden, in fact, will splendid UEFA EURO 2008 to all. be using the pitches at Cornaredo, while the German side will be utilising the structures of Tenero Sports Centre. Team Euro Ticino Turismo Ticino Euro Team Let the festivities begin! The stadiums are completed, the hotels firsthand. The many public viewing facili- and sports centres are swarming with ties will lend a festive air to all corners of activity, the media centres are ready, the canton. The lucky few will be able to and the cities are decorated in keeping follow the champions on the pitch during with the event. Thanks to the hospitality a few training sessions. Theme excur- initiative, the population and the tour- sions will be organised for our guests to 5 nament staff are prepared to receive show them the marvels of Ticino. UEFA journalists, federations, escorts and EURO 2008 fans will be offered various fans. Our Swiss quality will certainly be low-cost ways to travel by public trans- enhanced by Mediterranean warmth and port. friendliness. The June calendar is rich More details will be available at the infor- for those involved in the event. mation points in tourist offices and media The UBS ARENAS will let everyone centres. experience the stadium atmosphere Did you know that during UEFA EURO 2008: Locarno - we have Trix and Flix 4 metres tall - there is a TV studio on the alpe Odro - Ticino has the largest UBS Arena - Agno, check-in 20 min. before flight time - learn more at www.ticino.ch UEFA EURO 2008 games. Game Date Group Team 1... Team 2 Time City 1 07.06. A Switzerland : Czech Republic 18.00 Basle 2 07.06. A Portugal : Turkey 20.45 Geneva 3 08.06. B Austria : Croatia 18.00 Vienna 4 08.06. B Germany : Poland 20.45 Klagenfurt 5 09.06. C Romania : France 18.00 Zurich 6 09.06. C Holland : Italy 20.45 Berne 7 10.06. D Spain : Russia 18.00 Innsbruck 8 10.06. D Greece : Sweden 20.45 Salzburg 9 11.06. A Czech Republic : Portugal 18.00 Geneva 10 11.06. A Switzerland : Turkey 20.45 Basle 6 11 12.06. B Croatia : Germany 18.00 Klagenfurt 12 12.06. B Austria : Poland 20.45 Vienna 13 13.06. C Italy : Romania 18.00 Zurich 14 13.06. C Holland : France 20.45 Berne 15 14.06. D Sweden : Spain 18.00 Innsbruck 16 14.06. D Greece : Russia 20.45 Salzburg 17 15.06. A Switzerland : Portugal 20.45 Basle 18 15.06. A Turkey : Czech Republic 20.45 Geneva 19 16.06. B Poland : Croatia 20.45 Klagenfurt 20 16.06. B Austria : Germany 20.45 Vienna 21 17.06. C Holland : Romania 20.45 Berne 22 17.06. C France : Italy 20.45 Zurich 23 18.06. D Greece : Spain 20.45 Salzburg 24 18.06. D Russia : Sweden 20.45 Innsbruck 25 19.06. VF Winner Gr. A : II runner-up Gr. B 20.45 Basle 26 20.06. VF Winner Gr. B : II runner-up Gr. A 20.45 Vienna 27 21.06. VF Winner Gr. C : II runner-up Gr. D 20.45 Basle 28 22.06. VF Winner Gr. D : II runner-up Gr. C 20.45 Vienna 29 25.06. HF Winner game 25 : Winner game 26 20.45 Basle 30 26.06. HF Winner game 27 : Winner game 28 20.45 Vienna 31 29.06. F Winner game 29 : Winner game 30 20.45 Vienna UBS Arena: the fifth stadium. Enjoy UEFA EURO 2008 at Switzerland’s Space will certainly be no problem: fifth-largest stadium: Ticino will also each open-air stadium, in fact, will offer have UBS arenas with mega-screens! up to 1,200 comfortable paid seats in You couldn’t find tickets for the most the stands and many more free for those anticipated sporting event of the year? who prefer to stand. And the palate will No fear, no panic: thanks to the spacious be tempted by booths offering a variety 7 UBS arenas with their giant screens, of gourmet delights. Join in the atmos- located in 16 different Swiss cities, you phere of UEFA EURO 2008 for an unfor- can savour all the goals of the champion- gettable experience! ship just a stone’s throw from home! In Ticino, the numerous football support- ers can cheer together at the arenas in Locarno, right in Piazza Grande, and in Lugano, in Piazzale Gerra-Cornaredo. Other public viewing sites in Ticino: - Ascona, in front of the Seven, organised by Hotel Giardino and Ristorante Seven - Chiasso, Piazza Indipendenza - Mendrisio, Piazzale alla Valle Up-to-date info: www.ticino.ch/euro2008 Attractions. During UEFA EURO 2008, streets, there every day to entertain football squares and other sites will be in festive lovers and the curious. Lugano dons the attire. “Via delle stelle”: when Germany colours of the Swiss and Swedish teams. and Switzerland played a friendly match The city flowerbeds have, in fact, been on 26 March, clay moulds were make of planted with thousands tulips: red and the footprints and signatures of all the white, blue and yellow. 8 German players. An artist then trans- Trix & Flix: 4 m tall and carved out of formed them into bronze sculptures, now cedar, the mascots of UEFA EURO 2008 on display in the square of Ascona to are also present in Ticino! form the “Via delle stelle”. All are invited You can admire them in all their grandeur to admire these full-scale replicas of feet at the two sports centres that host the of true football magicians. national teams (Cornaredo and Tenero Football pitch on the lake: in Ascona a Sports Centre) and at the entrance to the floating platform will host a 200 m² foot- town of Ascona. ball pitch. Activities will be organised Centovalli Ticino: history meets nature. The historical origin of Ticino dates from therefore boast a special blend of Alpine 1798, when Napoleon grouped the local and Mediterranean cultures, displaying entities into a single state that was than their respective qualities in a unique, annexed to the Swiss Confederation in enchanting landscape. Ticino, in fact, 1803. From its birth, Ticino has played is a colourful oasis dominated by green an important role as a bridge between woodlands and vineyards and the blue 9 central Switzerland and Italy, positioned of its rivers and lakes. Villages perched as it is astride the channel of people and on the valleys and cities rising from the trade between northern and southern plains are joined in harmony with nature Europe. In the past, this strategic posi- and surrounded by it, offering to the eye tion enabled the region to wield com- of visitors a landscape that blends tradi- mercial and military control and to open tion and innovation in all their authentic- its doors to the customs and mores of ity. the neighbouring lands. Today Ticino can Did you know that in Ticino: - the land area is 2,812 km², of which 76% Mendrisiotto of green surface, with 3.600 km of trails - we harvest 7,332 tons of grapes - the sun shines 2,032 hours a year - we have a clown university 10 1 ticino swiss quality, Italian lifestyle Ticino is the only Swiss canton entirely bewitched by gleaming glaciers, wooded south of the Alps and with Italian as its Alpine valleys, green hills with rich sub- official language. Land of extraordinary, tropical vegetation, and enchanting alluring natural contrasts, in Ticino, along botanical parks. The history, culture, the 100 km that separate St. Gotthard language and dialects of Ticino entwine from Mendrisiotto, you can admire the with those of the neighbouring regions of entire palette of European landscapes, Italy. With their surprisingly mild climate, 2 3 1 Locarno, Piazza Grande 2 Museum of Monte San Giorgio, UNESCO World Heritage site 3 San Gottardo, road of the Tremola 4 Lugano, Valcolla 5 Lugano, Parco Ciani 6 Lavertezzo, Valle Verzasca 5 11 4 6 the pre-Alpine and lakeside landscapes total tranquillity, walks along 2,000 km are ennobled by a lively variety of col- of marked trails, extreme sports, culture, ours and vegetation.