HOW TO GET HERE: DIRECTIONS FOR REACHING YOUR HOLIDAY HOME IN AGRA OVERLOOKING LAKE MAGGIORE. ROUTES BY AIR, CLOSEST AIRPORTS, BY CAR, BY RAIL, BY TRAIN
There is also Lugano airport, which is by far the closest of all, but also by far the most expensive!
SkyScanner is also useful to check which airlines are offering the best deals for the dates you want.
Flying with bicycles...
No, not on ... your bicycle...
EasyJet will carry "Bicycles, golf equipment, skis/snowboards, surfboards, wind surfers, hang gliders, paragliders [...] subject to a handling fee per item, per flight." It is recommended that you visit their Carrier's Regulations for full details.
RyanAir will also carry bicycles etc for a fee per item, per flight: due to space restrictions, all sports equipment must be pre-booked and pre-paid at the time of booking on www.ryanair.com or through your local reservation centre, as not to do so may result in the item being refused carriage at the airport.
Carriage of bicycles:
* The bicycle must be packaged in a bicycle box or bag
* Only one bicycle per bicycle box or bag will be permitted
* No other items can be carried in the bicycle box (i.e. clothing)
* The handlebars must be flush with the frame
* The pedals must be flush against the frame or removed
* Passengers travelling with bicycles are recommended to check-in 2 hours prior to departure.
Rail travel within Italy is exceedingly cheap, and fairly reliable, but not necessarily frequent...
The closest rail station is Luino.
From Luino station, you can order a taxi to bring you to Casa Lunga. Telephone numbers for local taxi drivers are:+39 335 524 8449 and +39 335 664 5514.
If flying into Zürich, there are frequent train connections from the airport to Lugano, from where you can either take a succession of little trains to Luino, or hire a car.
See SBB for timetables within Switzerland, and Swiss Yellow Pages for car hire firms in Lugano.
For all except the most ardent cyclists, it is likely that you will wish to travel around this area by car.
All the airports have car rental outlets. For guests arriving by train who wish to rent a car in Luino, there is also a local car hire firm, Emmeci Auto.
(32, v.Voldomino, Luino. Tel:+39 0332 531 213. Fax: +39 0332 537 612. Email
NB. We have succeeded in negotiating a 10% discount with Emmeci for guests of Casa Lunga. Email them, putting "Casa Lunga Sconto 10%" in the subject line, to avail yourselves of this offer.
Drive north along the lake past the steamer jetty ("Navigazione Lago Maggiore") and the old fishing harbour, and continue along the lake towards Colmegna.
After the tunnel, cross the bridge over the river, then immediately take the first right after the bridge.(Signpost 1) Follow this twisty road. After about 1.1 km the road forks, with the main road continuing around a right-hand bend, but YOU need to turn left up Via Torretta.(Signpost 2)
Continue to follow this road up the hill. (There are some hairpin bends on the way, so sound your horn whenever you approach one of these blind corners to warn oncoming traffic.) After a further two kilometres, by two wiremesh garbage cages, there is a private road signposted on your left, marked Località Gaggio.(Signpost 3) Turn sharp left into this road, and Casa Lunga is the house straight in front of you.
From Luino
(Alternative route. Longer, but with fewer hairpin bends and better road surfaces.)
As above, drive north along the lake past the steamer pier ("Navigazione Lago Maggiore") and the old fishing harbour, but instead of carrying on towards Colmegna, turn right up a steep road at the first roundabout (with an olive tree in the centre). (Via Luigi Sbarra, Sign 1, above.) After about 1km, just after a right-hand bend, there is a sign on the left to Agra. Turn left, continue to Dumenza.
Continue straight on (and on!) Eventually you will reach Dumenza. Continue up the hill, following the road across the bridge, round the hairpin bend with the lone house on the corner (DON'T turn off left!) (Sign 2, above) and through Runo, and Stivigliano, until you reach Due Cossani. As you reach Due Cossani, turn left at the signpost DIRAMAZIONE AGRA. (Sign 3, above.) Continue on this road up the hill until you reach a large new parking area on your left, bounded by a T-junction. Turn left at the traffic island with the palm tree immediately after this parking area: you are now in Viale Europa.
About 200m on, VIA COLMEGNA (Sign 4, above) goes sharply downhill on the left. Stop, read your trip meter, and turn left down this road. Do not. take the left fork along the dead-end road about 200m down, opposite a shrine. Instead, about 1.1 km after the Scoiattolo, there is a very tight right bend, and almost immediately an even tighter left-hand bend opposite two wiremesh garbage containers.
Do NOT follow the road round left, but instead continue straight on, into the private road marked Località Gaggio. The house in front of you, with the wide wooden garage door in the lower half, is Casa Lunga.
Picture 4: straight on. The house ahead is Casa Lunga
From Lugano
From Lugano, or from Lugano Nord motorway exit:
Follow the signs to Ponte Tresa.
At Ponte Tresa, keep to the right-hand lane and follow the road markings to LUINO.
Turn right along the River Tresa just before the customs post. Do not cross at Ponte Tresa customs, but continue in Switzerland to Fornasette and cross the border there.
After about 1.5 km, turn right by Ristorante Pizzeria Trebedora (Picture 1 above) and follow the signs to Dumenza and AGRA. Pass through Longhirolo and Torbera, then turn left at the roundabout, towards Dumenza.
Just before you get to Dumenza, there is an angled T-junction: continue half-right (Picture 2, above) through Dumenza. Continue to follow the road, across the bridge and up the hill, round the hairpin bend with the frescoed house (Picture 3, above) through Runo, and Stivigliano, until you reach Due Cossani. As you reach Due Cossani, turn left at the signpost DIRAMAZIONE AGRA. Continue on this road up the hill until you reach a large new parking area on your left, bounded by a T-junction. Turn left at the traffic island with the palm tree immediately after this parking area: you are now in Viale Europa.
About 200m on, VIA COLMEGNA goes sharply downhill on the left. Stop, read your trip meter, and turn left down this road. Do not. take the left fork along the dead-end road about 200m down, opposite a shrine. Instead, about 1.1 km after the Scoiattolo, there is a very tight right bend, and almost immediately an even tighter left-hand bend opposite two wiremesh garbage containers.
Do NOT follow the road round left, but instead continue straight on, into the private road marked Località Gaggio. (Picture 4, above.) The two-storey gable in front of you, with the wide wooden garage door in the lower half, is Casa Lunga. Welcome.
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How to get here... by car... 
