Ticino

Ticino, officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino, is the southernmost of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is made up of eight districts, its capital is Bellinzona, and it is traditionally divided into the Sopraceneri to the north and the Sottoceneri to the south of Monte Ceneri. Unlike every other canton it lies almost entirely south of the Alps, and it is the only canton where Italian is the sole official language. Named after the Ticino, its longest river, the canton is a major tourist destination known for its warm climate, its culture and its gastronomy. Lugano is the largest city, with Bellinzona and Locarno as the other notable centres. The modern canton was formed in 1803 when the two Helvetic Republic cantons of Bellinzona and Lugano were combined under the Act of Mediation.