Lugano  is a city in southern Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy. The population of the city proper was 62,792 as of December 2013, and the population of the urban agglomeration was over 145,000. It is the 9th largest city of Switzerland by population, the largest city in Ticino, and the largest city with an Italian speaking majority outside of Italy.

The city lies on Lake Lugano, surrounded by the mountains of the Lugano Prealps. Its warm summers and the fact that in recent years it has attracted an ever growing number of celebrities, entertainers and successful athletes have given it the nickname of the "Monte Carlo of Switzerland".