Self-guided walk in Bellinzona with a visit to the "Castelgrande" 

About this Bellinzona town and castle walk 

This self-guided walk in Bellinzona allows you to explore the town center with the Piazza Nosetto and Piazza Collegiata (town squares), the town hall (Palazzo Civico) and the Castelgrande (Great Castle). More information about the castles of Bellinzona can be found here.

This 2.3 km-route can be done in 40 minutes. But count on 1.5 hours if you also want to have a quick look inside the castle and take pictures along the way. Allocate half a day for a more extensive exploration of the castle and its museum and for an additional lunch or coffee break.

A longer alternative to this route, including all three Bellinzona castles, can be found here.

What it costs 

Costs for the walk and access to the Castelgrande

This Bellinzona walk itself doesn't cost anything. If you want to access the Castelgrande you'll have to pay though. The Swiss Travel Pass grants free access to the castle.

Find information about Castelgrande entrance prices and rail pass reductions here.

Tickets to reach Bellinzona

You may need to travel to Bellinzona first. We recommend getting there by train. The hiking route starts at the train station.

If you're using a rail pass, you may be entitled to discounted or free traveling to Bellinzona. Without a rail pass, you'll have to buy normal full-fare tickets.

• Browse rail passes
• Learn how to find ticket prices and compare passes

Tickets and other tours for Bellinzona 

Find entrance tickets for the castles and other (guided) tours to Bellinzona.

Walking route directions and map 

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Departure date Example: 01.07.= 1 July
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How does the timetable work?

How to reach Bellinzona

You can travel to Bellinzona by train or by car. We recommend the train. The walk starts and ends at the train station. Please find more details about traveling to Bellinzona here.

Route description

You can find the route on the map on this page. We offer detailed street-by-street directions as well:

• Exit the train station and turn left into the Viale Stazione towards the center of town.
• Keep walking straight ahead until you reach the square (Piazza Collegiata) after about 550 m.
• Continue straight ahead into the Via Nosetto. Continue into the Via Camminata. You'll quickly reach a square (Piazza Indipendenza).
• Turn right into the Via Dogana. Follow the street for 200 m until you've passed a small park on your right.
• Turn right, then turn right again (Piazza Governo) and enter the Via Teatro.
• You'll quickly see the town hall (Palazzo Civico) on your right. It pays off to have a look at the courtyard.
• The route continues left into the narrow alley Vicolo al Sasso up the hill.
• Turn right at the end of the alley. Then turn left after about 100 m to walk the last bit up the hill to reach Castelgrande castle.
• Take a look around the courtyard and the castle itself, then leave via the elevator at the eastern side of the castle grounds (see the map).
• The elevator takes you down to the Piazza del Sole (Sunny Square). Enter the Largo Elvezia at the opposite side of the square. Then turn left to reach the train station.

Bellinzona hiking route on a map

Best months to enjoy our Bellinzona walk 

This Bellinzona hike can be made year-round, and the Castelgrande is accessible in all months as well. We think that late March to late October is the best time though. That's when you can enjoy the beautiful green hills surrounding Bellinzona.

Bellinzona is at low altitude, so there's usually no or just a little snow in winter and nature isn't at its best. But if you happen to be in the area between November and early March, this easy route can still be a great way to get a quick introduction to Bellinzona's charm.

Weather and forecast 

How to dress

Other than solid shoes you don't need specific gear. Just dress according to the forecasts.

Best weather for this hike

This Bellinzona walk is suitable for (mostly) dry weather.

It can get pretty hot in Bellinzona during summer. This probably won't bother you during this short hike, but if you want to avoid the heat you can choose an early-morning or late-afternoon hike.

Forecasts for Bellinzona

More activities near Bellinzona 

Our Bellinzona and Ticino tips