Lugano or Turin?

Neither city is a beach destination, but Lugano at least has swimmable water at its door. In high summer you can swim in Lake Lugano from the main lido at the mouth of the Cassarate or from smaller spots towards Castagnola and Paradiso, and boats run to the village lake baths. Expect lawns, wooden decks and ladders rather than sand.

Turin has nothing in town. Locals cool off at small lakes such as Avigliana or Viverone. Sea swimming means the Ligurian Riviera, about an hour and three-quarters away, which is too far for a casual afternoon.

Turin is one of Italy's serious food cities. Agnolotti del plin, vitello tonnato, tajarin with butter and autumn white truffles from the Langhe come with Barolo or Barbera. The city also has its own sweet tradition of gianduiotti and bicerin in the historic arcade cafés. Porta Palazzo market adds cheap, everyday eating.

Lugano's best side is the grotto: polenta, braised meats and Ticino Merlot at granite tables in the hills. Beyond that the choice is narrow and the bills are high, and many visitors save their big meals for Italy.

Turin is a former royal capital with sights to match. The Museo Egizio holds one of the great Egyptian collections, and the Royal Palace, Palazzo Madama and the Shroud's cathedral sit close together. Beyond them are the UNESCO-listed Savoy residences, with Venaria the grandest. Add the cinema museum in the Mole, the car museum and contemporary art at Rivoli, and you have days of sightseeing.

Lugano is pleasant but light by comparison. A walk through the Lombard arcades around Piazza della Riforma, Luini's Passion fresco, San Lorenzo cathedral and the art collection at LAC fill a single unhurried day.

Turin gives you a proper night out. After the aperitivo, people move on to the wine bars in the lanes of the Quadrilatero Romano or to the crowded pavements of San Salvario, Vanchiglia has a more alternative feel, and in summer the riverside Murazzi come alive. The mood is sociable rather than wild.

Lugano's evenings are a lakeside drink and a long dinner, with one or two clubs. Most nights the town is quiet before midnight, and young locals head to Milan.

Both are excellent for the outdoors, but in different ways. In Lugano the scenery starts at the edge of town. Funiculars climb Monte Brè and San Salvatore, the shore path leads to Gandria, and the Monte Lema to Tamaro ridge is a classic day hike. You can hire a paddleboard on the lake the same afternoon.

Turin sits on a flat plain, but the high Alps are close enough to use. Gran Paradiso's ibex and high trails and the ski slopes around Sestriere are an hour or so away. So Turin is the choice for skiing and serious mountain trips, while Lugano is better for lake-and-hill walking without a car.

Both make excellent bases, and Milan is about an hour away from each. From Lugano, trips are about lakes and borders: Como, Morcote by boat, the castles of Bellinzona, and Lake Maggiore with the Borromean Islands.

From Turin, the pull is wine country and history. Head to the Langhe for Alba, Barolo and Bra, to the Sacra di San Michele on its rock, or further to Genoa and Roman Aosta.

Both work about equally well with children, but they suit different ages. Lugano is best for younger children who like being outdoors: boat rides, lido slides, funiculars and the miniature Swiss landmarks at Melide. Its steep streets are hard work with a pushchair.

Turin is flat, and its arcades are easy with a pushchair in any weather. Its museums suit older children: the glass lift up the Mole, the mummies in the Museo Egizio, the cars at the Museo dell'Automobile. The big zoo park is outside the city and easiest by car.

Lugano is the easier place to get around. The centre is small, the lakefront links most sights, and a funicular climbs to the station. Boats, mountain railways and Swiss trains connect neatly, and hotel stays usually include regional transport.

Turin's grid of arcades is flat and pleasant to walk. Beyond the centre, though, there is a single metro line, and the trams and buses are slower and take some working out.

Turin offers more variety. Via Roma has the big labels, Via Garibaldi the high-street shops, and Via Maria Vittoria the antique dealers. The Balon flea market fills the streets behind Porta Palazzo every Saturday. Chocolate, truffles and Piedmontese wine make the best things to take home.

Lugano's shopping is mainly Via Nassa, with Swiss watches, jewellers and Italian fashion under the porticoes, plus the outlet village near Mendrisio. For anything beyond that, people go to Milan.

This is the widest gap between the two. Lugano is expensive across the board: hotels, meals, wine, boats and mountain railways all cost far more than across the border, and the included regional transport helps only a little.

Turin is comfortable rather than cheap. Central hotels are fairly priced for most of the year, an aperitivo can stand in for dinner, and transport is inexpensive. Your money goes much further here.

In Lugano, almost everything happens at LAC by the lake. It is home to the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana and stages theatre and dance, much of it in Italian. In summer the free Estival Jazz concerts fill Piazza della Riforma. Small music venues are few, and opera is rare, so opera lovers usually make the trip to La Scala in Milan.

Turin offers far more all year round. The Teatro Regio has a full opera and ballet season, and the RAI National Symphony Orchestra plays in its own auditorium. Jazz clubs and small live venues add music on ordinary nights, not only at festival time.

Neither city has a bathing tradition, so here the difference is in the setting. In Lugano, relaxing means the lake: a lido afternoon, a bench under the palms in Parco Ciani, a hotel spa or the big pool and sauna complex near Rivera.

In Turin, it means long sessions in the historic cafés and evening walks along the Po. For thermal waters you have to travel to Acqui Terme, almost two hours away.