بيلينزونا

April to October is the best time for the castles and walks. Summer is warm and can be humid. Spring and autumn are mild. Winter is cool but rarely snowy in the town. The Saturday market and the Rabadan carnival in February bring crowds.

• Castelgrande is the largest castle, on a rock above the old town. A lift leads from the town to the courtyard.
• Castello di Montebello stands on a hill east of the centre. It has walls, towers and a small museum, Museo Castello di Montebello.
• Sasso Corbaro Castle is the highest castle, with views over the valley. It is a short uphill walk or a drive from Montebello.
• Collegiata dei Santi Pietro et Stefano is the main church in the old town.
• Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie is a church known for its frescoes.
• Villa dei Cedri is a villa with a park and an art collection.

• Walk the castle walls and look over the valley.
• Visit the Saturday market in the old town.
• Hike on the paths around the castles.
• Cross the long suspension bridge at Ponte Tibetano Carasc for a mountain walk.
• Visit Villa dei Cedri for art in a park.

• Locarno is on Lake Maggiore, about 20 minutes away by train.
• Lugano is the largest city in Ticino, about 30 minutes away by train.
• Ascona is a lakeside town next to Locarno.
• Maggia Valley has rivers, stone villages and swimming spots.

• Locarno, Ascona and Lugano are the nearest towns in Ticino.

• By air: Zurich and Milan Malpensa are the main airports. Milan is about 2 hours away by train and bus.
• By train: Bellinzona is on the main north-south line through the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Check times on SBB.
• Trains from Zurich take about 2 hours. Trains from Lugano take about 30 minutes.

• The old town is small and easy to walk.
• The castles are reachable on foot, with climbs. A lift serves Castelgrande.
• Local buses link the station with the districts and valleys.

• A car is not needed in the old town.
• Parking near the station and the old town is limited. Use a car park and walk.
• A car helps for the side valleys.

Ticino food is close to Italian. Try polenta, risotto and the local cured meats. Merlot wine is grown around the town. Cheese and chestnut dishes appear in autumn.

Most people speak Italian. Many speak some German and English.

• Bellinzona is very safe.
• Castle paths are steep and uneven. Wear good shoes.
• Tap water is safe to drink.
• Summer afternoons can be hot, so carry water on walks.

Bellinzona controls the main routes across the Alps. The Milan dukes built the castles and walls in the 14th and 15th centuries to guard the valley. Swiss cantons took the town in 1500.

Bellinzona became part of the new canton of Ticino in 1803, and it is the cantonal capital. The castles were restored in the 20th century.

Quick practical facts for Switzerland at a glance: