31 December 2025 A journey through time: past, present, and future

New Year’s Eve 2026 at Villa Principe Leopoldo will be an unprecedented experience, with the entire residence in celebration: an exciting journey through three eras, marked by scenic changes that will transform the villa overlooking Lake Lugano into a stage of pure elegance and spectacle.

The evening’s artists will include a crossover tenor, a female pop voice, a violinist, and a DJ – each with two outfit changes to adapt their style in harmony with the three-act story.

The journey begins at 7:00 pm with a welcome toast in the Montalbano and Melograno rooms, where ladies and nobles in 18th-century costumes welcome guests to the notes of Mozart.

From 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm, dinner at the La Luce Restaurant and the Principe’s Bar & Bistrot becomes the heart of the story: each course is accompanied by a scenographic change reflecting the passage from one era to another. Nineteenth-century arias give way to the swing of the 1940s, which in turn transforms into 20th-century evergreens, while lights, atmospheres, and costumes continuously evolve to follow the thread of time.

The decorative setup supports this narrative: iconic brand tones of blue intertwine with 19th-century references, precious fabrics, and luminous details, in dialogue with the historic architecture, accompanying each stage of the evening.

The culinary offering sustains the story. The aperitif pays homage to memory and tradition with oysters, caviar, and iconic recipes reinterpreted. Dinner reflects the present with signature dishes blending seasonality and creativity – such as cotechino enriched with caviar, Poschiavo spaghetti with white truffle, and blue lobster with foie gras. The midnight buffet represents the future, combining the conviviality of refined street food with the ritual flavors of zampone and lentils, reimagined with elegance.

At around 11:45 pm, a musical and scenographic crescendo prepares for the highlight: at midnight, time stands still for a collective toast marking the passage into the future. But the journey does not end there: immediately afterward, the Montalbano and Melograno rooms – the grand ballrooms with a magnificent view of Lake Lugano – radically transform into a visionary universe of architectural lights, futuristic projections, luminous dancers, and a DJ set.

At 12:30 am, the journey takes on another symbolic form with the traditional buffet, a ritual that unites past and present in welcoming the new year. The night ends in a visionary atmosphere of lights, sounds, and sensations, accompanying guests until 3:00 am.

On January 1st, the story continues with a day dedicated to taste and conviviality. Guests can begin the year with a rich buffet breakfast served in the Limonaia until noon, featuring sweet and savory delights ranging from oysters to carpaccio, savory pies to fine pastries.

Afterward, La Luce Restaurant serves a celebratory menu honoring Italian tradition and excellence: from classic zampone with lentils to refined creations from sea and land, such as scampi carpaccio, capon broth with tortellini, golden turbot with grapefruit and fermented garlic, or beef with marrow and Valle Maggia pepper. The journey closes with fresh, enveloping notes of pineapple, rosemary, vanilla, and mango – wishing guests a new year filled with beauty and tradition.

Dress code: jacket and tie for men, long gown for women.

• Deluxe Junior Suite stay package + New Year’s Eve + rich sweet & savory buffet breakfast until noon on January 1st – from CHF 2,400 per couple (minimum stay 2 nights). Includes aperitif with sparkling wine and, after midnight, an open bar with selected cocktails, bubbles, and soft drinks (other beverages during dinner excluded).

• Gala dinner + after party package – CHF 750 p.p. Includes gastronomic and artistic journey with dinner-show at La Luce Restaurant and visionary after party in Montalbano & Melograno Rooms, with open bar (other dinner beverages excluded).

• New Year’s Eve kids’ menu (up to 16 years old) - CHF 150 p.p.

• After party entry – CHF 250 p.p. Exclusive access after midnight to the futuristic party with DJ set, luminous dancers, traditional buffet, and open bar.

• January 1st lunch – CHF 150 p.p. beverages excluded.

• Kids’ January 1st lunch menu – à la carte