Armored vehicles in Lugano

Lugano's own airport has limited operations, so most visitors land at Milan Malpensa and drive north, crossing into Switzerland on the way. For an armored vehicle this means the border is part of the very first transfer, and the planning starts there.

The driver meets you at Malpensa, follows your flight and drives you to Lugano, or straight to a villa on the lake if that is where you stay.

Lugano's lakefront is compact and busy in summer, and set-down points near the banks and hotels are planned to keep the walk short and the vehicle close.

Lugano is the third financial centre in Switzerland, with private banks and wealth managers concentrated near the lakefront. A stay can combine meetings in town with residences in the hills above the lake, in places such as Castagnola or across the water in Campione.

Hillside roads here are narrow and steep, and an armored SUV is often the better choice for private residences. In town, a saloon attracts less attention.

If you move between Lugano and Milan for work, one vehicle can cover both, crossing the border twice a day on a planned route rather than changing cars at the frontier.

Lake Como is a short drive across the border, and its villas and hotels are an easy second stop. Milan, an hour or so away, fits into the same programme for business or fashion week.

To the north, the Gotthard motorway and road tunnel connect Ticino with Lucerne and Zurich. St. Moritz and the Engadin can be reached by mountain road through Italy, which makes for a scenic but demanding drive in winter.