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Gandria
The Border Town and the Smugglers. The little village of Gandria lies at the foot of Monte Brè, on the shores of Lake Lugano. It has a very nostalgic atmosphere, having remained unchanged for about 100 years. The Swiss Customs and Smuggler Museum, which is located on the opposite shore of the lake, can be reached by lakeboat.
Clinging close to the steep slope of the excursion mountain, Monte Brè, surrounded by chestnut forests and adjacent to the waters of Lake Lugano, Gandria is a town with a special ambience. It has angular lanes, steep staircases, courtyards with walls and arcades. The town is a car-free zone,and the original character of many buildings in this town, such as the chapel of San Rocco, which dates back to the year 1645, has been preserved.
The erstwhile storehouse of the village, the Cantine, and the barracks of the border sentry (which has housed the Swiss Customs Museum since 1949) lie on the opposite shore of the lake. The museum is also called the Smuggler Museum and informs visitors about the duties of border sentries today and in the past.
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