Best Border towns to visit

What would you like to do there? Hike, ski, visit museums, explore local dining, ride cablecars, shop. . .?

Daytrip or overnight?

There are not many places on the Italian/Swiss border. Most of the border is either through lakes or mountains. I can only think of two.

1) Ponte Tresa. It is at the western end of Lake Lugano, one half of the town in Switzerland, the other in Italy, separated by a river which runs into the lake, and which forms the border. You can get a train from Lugano, and walk across the bridge to the other half of the town.
It is only a small town and does not have any tourist attractions.

2) Chiasso. This is the southernmost point of Switzerland, and is contiguous with Ponte Chiasso on the Italian side, which is a suburb of Como town. This is not a tourist destination, it is the route of the main rail and road routes, and is industrial.

If you are travelling in the area, there are lots of better places in Ticino to visit: Lugano (town and lake), Bellinzona, Locarno and smaller places in side valleys.

You are asking about a 4 months period in the Schengen area - I take it that you won't be affected by the 90 day Schengen visa waiver program?

The postbus trips up the Valle Verzasca and Calle Maggia (out of Locarno) are good ones. I've done the Valle Verzasca trip twice. It is most dramatic before mid-summer, when the water flow in the little waterfalls diminishes.

The Centovalli train trip between Domodossola, Italy, and Locarno, Switzerland, often crops up on lists of Europe's most beautiful train rides.

Chris, again thank you. Your a font of knowledge!! Ticino and Lugano sound ideal.

Lola, I love to soak up local culture, architecture, food, shopping, boat rides, gondolas, etc. I am not into sports or museums! LOL. I am thinking day trips or an overnight.

Acraven, I have been reading about these postbus trips and they seem awesome! Do you know where I can get a schedule?

Nigel, I have a long stay visa so I am not affected.

I have always wanted to visit Soglio in Graubunden (Switzerland).

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/beguiling-bregalia.html

Also the hamlet of Sonogno, at the end of Val Verzasca, mentioned above by acraven.

https://www.ticino.ch/en/commons/details/Hamlet-of-Sonogno/2722.html

https://www.postauto.ch/en/timetable should do it. The "Network Routes" selection on the left looks like a good possibility for browsing.

My last trip to Switzerland was pre-Internet(!), but for public-transit routes my go-to source was a paper copy of the Swiss transit map available here: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-gb/tickets.html . Scroll down that page to the map labeled "Area of validity" and download it. Postbus routes are in yellow. The map shows graphically how critical the postbuses are for reaching into Switzerland's areas of dificult terrain. A lot of the routes run up valleys to places with no rail service.

Thanks acraven!!!!