Locarno is a Swiss municipality of 16 030 inhabitants, capital of the district of the same name and regional centre, on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore, straddling the Luganese Pre-Alps and the Lepontine Alps.

In terms of population, the city ranks third in Canton Ticino after Lugano and Bellinzona. Considering the entire urban area, the population exceeds 50,000.

The railway station is located outside the municipal boundaries, in Muralto, and one of its symbols, the Madonna del Sasso is located on the municipal territory of Orselina.

It is a popular tourist destination, thanks in particular to its favourable microclimate, which allows Mediterranean and subtropical vegetation to flourish, and the presence of the lake. Its fame is also due to the Locarno Festival, the second longest-running film festival (first held in 1946) after Venice.