The venues for the 2026 events
Places throughout the Locarnese that are not just stages but an integral part of the sound, emotions, and magic of the festival.
- Meeting places:
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta (Chiesa Nuova), Locarno
- Meeting places:
Chiesa di San Martino, Ronco sopra Ascona
- Meeting places:
Spiaggia Castello del Sole, Padiglione
- Meeting places:
Piazza Lungolago, Ascona
- Meeting places:
Chiesa del Collegio Papio, Ascona
- Meeting places:
Chiesa di S. Maria di Ponte, Brissago
- Meeting places:
Isole di Brissago, Villa Emden
- Meeting places:
Chiesa di Mogno, Vallemaggia
- Meeting places:
Teatro del Gatto, Ascona
- Meeting places:
Castello Visconteo, Locarno
- Meeting places:
Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate, Losone -Arcegno
- Meeting places:
Chiesa San Francesco, Locarno
- Meeting places:
Bordei, Chiesa and Osteria Giardino
- Meeting places:
Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, Ascona
- Meeting places:
Sala Sopracenerina, Locarno
- Meeting places:
Monte Verità Ascona, swimming pool
- Meeting places:
Collegio Papio, Ascona, Aula Magna
- Meeting places:
Chiostro del Collegio Papio, Ascona [Cloister, Openair].
Where the Festival Lives – Six Places to Feel It
Chiesa del Collegio Papio, Ascona
Via delle Cappelle 1, 6612 Ascona
The Chiesa Santa Maria della Misericordia at the Roman Catholic secondary school “Collegio Papio” is a Renaissance-era building, renowned for its impressive altarpieces and wall paintings by Giovanni Serodine (17th century) and Marco D’Oggioni (16th century). Because of its size and excellent acoustics, the church is regularly used for concerts, including major concerts organized by classicAscona. The College’s other premises host master classes and other side events.
The College’s other premises are used for master classes and other side events.
Chiesa San Francesco, Locarno
Piazza San Francesco 19, 6600 Locarno
Chiesa San Francesco in Locarno, dating back to the 13th century, is more than a historical monument: it is a living sounding board where history, art, and music converge. It is one of classicAscona’s most fascinating venues and offers a worthy setting for orchestral and choral concerts. The special features of this monument of sacred art are the 18th-century frescoes by the Locarnese Orelli family of painters and the wooden choir, carved in 1522.
After significant restoration, the church now glows as a cultural center, welcoming all with its renewed brilliance. Its last complete interior restoration, finished in 2012, ensures every visitor can experience its historical beauty.
Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, Ascona
Piazzetta San Pietro 1, 6612 Ascona
The Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo in Ascona, reopened in 2025 after extensive restoration, dates to the 16th century and features frescoes, a coffered ceiling, and a polygonal choir. With its atmospheric setting and excellent acoustics, it is ideal for closing concerts, master classes, and chamber music.
Teatro del Gatto, Ascona
Via Muraccio 21, 6612 Ascona
A space in the heart of town where classicAscona and JazzAscona come together.
Chiesa di San Martino, Ronco sopra Ascona
Via Ronco 1, 6622 Ronco sopra Ascona, Switzerland
The Chiesa di San Martino, expanded in the 16th century from a 15th-century oratory, as shown in drawings attributed to Giovanni Beretta, features a remarkable variety of styles: a medieval nave and chancel, a 16th-century tower and Baroque elevation, and a 19th-century facade. Its elevated position above Lake Maggiore makes it an ideal venue for concerts in our Concerts of Excellence series.
Chiesa di S. Maria di Ponte, Brissago
6614 Brissago
Brissago’s idyllic church, located directly on the lake’s shore, was built between 1526 and 1585, designed by architect Giovanni Beretta and later by his son Pietro. It is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in the region and features an octagonal dome with surrounding loggias, as well as a clear reference to the Lombard Bramante tradition. With its harmonious Latin-cross shape, dominant bell tower, and elegant interplay of windows and granite pillars, it offers a unique cultural and acoustic environment where music and architecture blend impressively.
Other locations besides the main stages
Castello del Sole Pavillon Spiaggia
A concert in a Mediterranean atmosphere: In the pavilion on the beach of Lake Maggiore, you can enjoy concerts and culinary delights in the vicinity of the Hotel Castello del Sole.
Chiesa del Collegio Papio, Ascona
The Church of Santa Maria della Misericordia, belonging to the Roman Catholic secondary school “Collegio Papio,” is a Renaissance-era building and, thanks to its size and excellent acoustics, is regularly used for concerts, such as some of the main concerts at classicAscona. The other rooms of the Collegio are used for masterclasses and other accompanying events.
Piazza Lungolago, Ascona
The Preludio Lungolago concerts are organized by ensembles from the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana as pre-concerts on Ascona’s famous lakefront, with breathtaking views of the lake and the mountains.
Castello Visconteo, Locarno
In the courtyard of the historic Castello Visconteo in Locarno, guests can embark on an evocative journey through music and literature.
Spiaggia Castello del Sole, Padiglione
A concert in a Mediterranean atmosphere: you can enjoy a concert and culinary delights in the surroundings of Hotel Castello del Sole at the beach pavilion on Lago Maggiore.
Bordei, Chiesa and Osteria Giardino
Nestled in the mountains above Palagnedra in the Centovalli, in the tranquility of the village of Bordei, are its Church and Osteria Giardino. A place where award-winning and sought-after vegetarian cuisine meets magical sounds in a picturesque medieval sacred space.
Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate, Losone -Arcegno
Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate in Arcegno (Losone) is a Baroque church with a rich interior and a portal of great historical value. It serves as the center of the local parish community and is culturally
significant in the region. It is known for its important stucco and frescoes, as well as its good acoustics.
Isole di Brissago, Villa Emden
Reachable by boat from Ascona, Villa Emden, with its elegant “Veranda Ascona” on the Isola Grande di Brissago, is the ideal venue for the “Music and Literature” review: a combination of chamber music, an aperitif, and the sunset in a unique atmosphere.
Monte Verità Ascona, swimming pool
The former pool on Monte Verità in Ascona was originally built by Baron Eduard von der Heydt as an outdoor pool for his hotel. Today, it serves as a unique outdoor stage for events, including the “Music and Literature” series.
Chiesa di Mogno, Vallemaggia
A musical excursion will take you to Mario Botta’s architectural masterpiece. The church was built between 1992 and 1996 on the site of the Baroque church destroyed by an avalanche in 1986, and it symbolizes man’s resistance to nature’s destructive forces.
Sala Sopracenerina, Locarno
Located in the heart of Locarno on the famous Piazza Grande, the neoclassical Sala Sopracenerina offers an ideal setting for pre-concert events during the “Costellazione Giovani”.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta (Chiesa Nuova), Locarno
The Chiesa Nuova in the historic center of Locarno is an important Baroque church dating from about 1630-1650, built by Cristoforo Orelli. It is known for its magnificent stucco decoration, the large image of St. Christopher on the facade, and the canons’ protected house. Concerts of the “Costellazione giovani” and the Academy series are held here, and it is within walking distance of the main venue, the Chiesa San Francesco.
Collegio Papio, Ascona, Aula Magna
Collegio Papio is in central Ascona, across from Santa Maria della Misericordia, a Romanesque church from the 14th and 15th centuries. The Aula Magna is the venue for concerts for our children’s and youth projects.
Chiostro del Collegio Papio, Ascona [Cloister, Openair].
Collegio Papio is located in the historic center of Ascona, opposite the church of Santa Maria della Misericordia, an elegant and famous Romanesque building from the 14th and 15th centuries.