Morcote is first mentioned historically in 926 as Murcau, which comes from the Latin Morae caput, meaning head of the hill.

[4] Starting around 1100, Morcote was home to a castle that was built to guard and control commerce on the lake.

Until the dam was built in Melide in 1847, Morcote was the largest port on Lake Lugano.

[3] The town was often caught between the rival powers of Milan and Como as they fought for control in Lombardy.

During the Late Middle Ages the major industries of Morcote included fishing, farming and shipping.

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, wine production and handicrafts have been added to tourism.

[8] The Chapel of S. Antonio Abate with its monumental staircase, the Parish Church of S. Maria del Sasso with Oratory, the Cimitero monumentale (Cemetery) and Scherrer Park are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance.

The entire village of Morcote is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

In 1758 it was renovated in the Baroque style, while in the 18th century a monumental staircase was added to the front of the church.

[4] The church tower was built in the Middle Ages and made taller during the 16th century.

Near the church is the Chapel Sant'Antonio da Padova which was built in 1676 with an unusual octagonal floor plan and dome.

In the terraced cemetery overlooking the lake, many artists are buried, among them Alexander Moissi, actor, Georges Baklanoff, Russian baritone, Georg Kaiser, German author, and Eugen d’Albert, German composer and pianist.

The chapel of Sant'Antonio Abate, consecrated before 1591, was originally a hospice run by the Antonines order of Vienna.

The interior houses several frescoes from a 15th-century master artist from Seregno, as well as other newer paintings.

[10] The arcades along the lake shore date partly from the Late Middle Ages and include several noble houses from the 16th to 18th centuries.

[4] In 1965, Scherrer Gardens, the former home of wealthy St. Gallen textile merchant, was opened to the public.

The gardens are rich with luxurious subtropical vegetation and many kinds of buildings and art, both original and copies from all over the world.

[7] The historical population is given in the following chart:[4][22] In the 2015 federal election the most popular party was the FDP with 49.3% of the vote.

[24] In the 2007[update] Gran Consiglio election, there were a total of 446 registered voters in Morcote, of which 297 or 66.6% voted.

Finally, the tertiary sector provided 198 jobs in 69 businesses, of which one employed 73 workers.

[14] From the 2000 census[update], 555 or 73.6% were Roman Catholic, while 87 or 11.5% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.

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