Swiss Alps Cigar Box Summit 2024
Welcome to the Swiss Alps Cigar Box Guitar Summit 2024!
June 24th – July 1st 2024
Travel to Ticino and dont miss out on this very exclusive week of fun and lots of cigar box guitar music, hosted by Steve Arvey & Rebcca Bird joined by musicians and builders from all over the world.
Meet and greet top notch cigar box guitar players, and feel the vibe of home-made Instruments from England, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and the USA.
Experience with us one of the most luxurios European holiday spots in the Swiss Alps. Enjoy the finest scenery you could ever imagine paired with our delicious Mediterranean food and great company. Participate in our extraordinary entertainment program with music, shopping, sightseeing and guided excursions to the most beautiful hotspots of Lago Maggiore – and don’t forget lots of leisure time!
Welcome to this extraordinary venue Hotel La Campagnola, Via Campagnola 14, CH-6575 Vairano, Ticino Switzerland.
Price: CHF 2499.00 for 7 nights per person in a comfort room, including our varied breakfast and dinner buffets with spectacular views, transfers from/to Malpensa Airport (Milano), welcome cocktail with your hosts, live cigar box guitar music events, itinerares and guided excursions, and the local Ticino Ticket for free boat, train and bus rides in the region.
Convinced yet? Please go directly to the Online Booking.
Get more information and check out the week’s program scrolling down.
Program
Monday
Arrival at the hotel, check-in with free welcome drink, easy day = pool day, get to know everyone,
meet & greet with your hosts Steve Arvey, Rebecca Song-Bird and the owners Stefano & Nicole Zoppè during an offered aperitif at 5 pm on our spectacular pool terrace with great views over the Lago Maggiore, the southern Swiss Alps, Ascona and Locarno, and the famous 007 Golden Eye Verzasca Dam.
“Chickeria” dinner from 6 pm to 8 pm with salad buffet, soup of the day, Swiss chicken buffet and home-made dessert.
Live piano jazz with pianist ANTONIO BONAZZO. After dinner party at our Grotto Americano Restaurant.
Tuesday
Individual breakfast: 7:30 am – 10:30 am
Play or rest morning with the possibility to swim in our heated pool, play crazy golf, meet our donkeys, or just roam around and get to know all the hotel amenities and close surroundings.
Individual Lunch at the Grotto Americano between 12 am – 2 pm (at your own expenses).
Option 1.
Walk through the chestnut forest above the hotel up to Sass Da Grüm (about 1 hour), have a drink, enjoy the amazing view, fill up your energy and walk back down to the Hotel La Campagnola.
Option 2.
Hotel transfer to Casa Iguana Mini Lido in San Nazzaro, a most relaxing place with beach bar directly on the Lago Maggiore with great swimming. Transfer back to the hotel at 5 pm.
Option 3.
Use your Ticino Ticket and take the bus down to the ferry and enjoy the ride across the lake to Locarno, visit the medieval church of Madonna del Sasso by taking a track train up, see the wonderfully restored art of the “Last supper”. Take the rack-railway back down to Locarno and stroll through the city of Locarno, get yourself a local ice-cream, hop on the boat and take the bus back up to the hotel.
Dinner from 6 pm to 8 pm with salad buffet, soup of the day, home-made pasta and dessert.
STEVE ARVEY & REBECCA BIRD kick-off party from 8 pm to 12 pm
Wednesday
Breakfast: 7:30 am – 8:30 am
Day trip to Locarno and Ascona with boat ride across the Lago Maggiore and great shopping.
Take the local bus down to the ferry and enjoy the ride across the lake to Locarno, explore the small, bustling City (Castello Visconti was planned and built by Leonardo da Vinci), do some shopping in the local outlets around the Piazza Grande and take in the Mediterranean city vibes of Locarno, strolling along the lake side promenade.
Hop on the bus from Locarno train station to famous and splendid Ascona on the other side of the Maggia Delta. Have a stroll along glamorous “Lungo Lago” and enjoy a fashionable afternoon (window) shopping at the exclusive shops along the shore of Lago Maggiore.
Take the boat back to S. Nazzaro where our shuttle bus will take you to the beach bar Pirates of the Gambarogno for some live cigar box guitar music on the banks of the Ticino River. Try a locally produced liquor and just enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
Before sunset you will get back to La Campagnola with a direct bus to Vairano.
Dinner: 6 pm – 8 pm with salad buffet, soup of the day, Swiss Prime sirloin strip stake, baked potatoes and our home-made dessert.
Entrecôte Blues Night featuring:
Cigar box guitar collection Exhibition by
Z ROCK, an Italian builder/musician, who creates his guitars out of almost anything.
Live music from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm & 8 pm – 10 pm. After dinner party at our Grotto Americano.
Thursday
Breakfast 7:30 am – 10:30 am
Individual Program
Option 1.
Visit the 3 castles in Bellinzona, a UNESCO World Heritage, taking the local bus and train – I castelli di Bellinzona. If you are in good shape, you will be able to visit all 3 castles on foot – Castel Grande, Montebello, and the one on the top Sasso Corbaro. Enjoy an incredible view over the city of Bellinzona, capital of Ticino.
Option 2.
Valle Verzasca – take a bus ride up the to the Valle Verzasca, stop at 007 James Bond Golden Eye Dam with the biggest bungee jump in Europe, contiunue up valley to the Ponte dei Salti, a ancient bridge across the emerald green waters of the Verzasca river built by the romans. Continue with the bus or take an easy hike up river towards Sonogno at the end of the valley, a picturesque town with historical stone houses typically for this region.
Option 3.
Day Trip to Milan, for more information please contact n.zoppe@campagnola.ch. Thanks
Dinner 6 pm – 8 pm with with salad buffet, soup of the day, traditional polenta and meats/veggies from our region, and our home-made dessert.
After dinner live music with the GOATS BUSTERS for England at the Grotto Americano.
Friday
Breakfast 7:30 am – 10:30 am
Beach Day at Casa Iguana!
Transfer with our shuttle bus to the Mini Lido S. Nazzaro – enjoy a well earned relaxing day at the beach, swim in the Lago Maggiore, rent a canoe or stand up paddle for some exercise, treat yourself to some of André’s delicious mexican snacks and drinks, and listen to live music by Steve Arvey & Rebecca Bird. Transfer back to the hotel with the shuttle bus.
Dinner 6 pm – 8 pm with salad buffet, soup of the day, spaghetti & pizza buffet and our home-made dessert.
After dinner live music from TTT TONGUE TIED TWIN with a stunning show of his cigar box guitar literally ON FIRE.
Saturday
Breakfast 7:30 am – 10:30 am
SWISS ALPS CIGAR BOX GUITAR SUMMIT 2024!
MUSICIANS
John Mary Go Round (Belgium Representative), Captain Catfish (German Representative),
Zi Rock (Italian Representative), TTT (Swiss Representative), GOATS BUSTERS (British Representative),
and Steve Arvey (US Representative).
BUILDERS
Captain Catfish from Germany, Zi Rock from Italy, Rene Kubli from Switzerland and Mario Brandino from Italy.
Dinner 6 pm – 8 pm with salad buffet, soup of the day, Ticino specialities from the grill and home- made dessert.
Special day program – information and flyer will follow.
Sunday
Breakfast 7:30 am – 10:30 am
Sunday Brunch 11 am – 2 pm with live Ticino folk music
Relax day at the hotel or individual program.
Dinner 6 pm – 8 pm with salad buffet, soup of the day, Risotto Festival and our home-made dessert.
After dinner GOODBYE party with hosts Steve Arvey, Rebecca Bird and Stefano & Nicole Zoppè
Monday
Breakfast 7:30 am – 10:30 am
Check out time 10:30 am
Individual departure.
Special hint: Are you traveling by CAMPER? Or do you want to put up your TENT? Please do not hesitate to contact us by n.zoppe@campagnola.ch for an individual price offer. Thanks 😉