Vacallo is a
municipality in the district of
Mendrisio in the
canton of
Ticino in
Switzerland.
The current population is nearly 3,000 people. The coat of arms of Vacallo is a "V" with three bunches of grapes. Each bunch of grapes symbolises the three parishes or 'frazione' of the commune, including San Simone and Roggiana and maybe Pizzamiglio.
A plaque commemorates the fact that Giacomo Puccini stayed in Vacallo between 1889 and 1892 and composed the second act of Manon Lescaut here.[1] Other visitors include Ruggero Leoncavallo and the local celebrity Luigi Pagani, also known as Mattirolo or Matiröö. Vacallo is also known for its basketball team, which has won multiple national titles.[2]
In 2007, the three mayors of Chiasso, Vacallo and Morbio Inferiore decided to unite into one commune. In return for losing independence, the commune would have gained access to more services, such as retirement homes in the surrounding areas. The new united commune with a population of approximately 15,300 people over a territory of 9.2 km², has been refused by the population in November 2007.
