Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino is one of the country’s most popular holiday destinations. But just off the beaten tourist track, around the lake there’s a fascinatingly diverse wildlife to be found.

There is hardly any other region in Switzerland with such lovely contrasts as in Ticino. Not far from the rugged Alps, Lake Maggiore has a climate that is almost Mediterranean. Among the palm and citrus trees and fragrant camellias, great crested grebes and lizards are evidence of just how wild nature can be at Lake Maggiore.

In Ticino, rugged high mountains meet a Mediterranean climate and while there is still snow in the north, at Lake Maggiore in the south, camellias and magnolias are already in full bloom. Its geographical location brings the most disparate climate zones into unusually close proximity. Ticino is famous for its lakes, with probably the best-known being Lake Maggiore. Formed by Ice-Age glaciers, today it is a classic symbol of Italian dolce vita set against an Alpine backdrop, and a popular tourist destination. Yet not far from the piazzas and the promenades, nature abounds with wildlife. Such as in the bird paradise of Bolle di Magadino or in the rugged Valle Maggia. Exciting animal shots, such as the courtship dance of the great crested grebe, or the aerial acrobatics of the barn swallows, astonish viewers, sharing with them the magic of one of the most enchanting regions in Switzerland.