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Season: all year
Recommended season: early April to late June and early September to late October
Max. altitude: 471 m (1545 ft)➤ Castle prices, tickets and reservations 
2026 entry prices for the Bellinzona castles
- You can buy a "Fortezza Pass" for CHF 28 per adult. This covers the entrance to all three fortresses, including their temporary exhibitions. The Fortezza Pass is available when all castles are open.
- Alternatively, you can get separate tickets per castle: CHF 15 for Castelgrande, CHF 10 for Montebello, CHF 15 for Sasso Corbaro.
- Entrance to all 3 is free with a Swiss Travel Pass.
- If you simply walk along the castles without visiting the interior, you don't need tickets either.
Entry price for the Villa dei Cedri museum
An access ticket for the museum costs CHF 12 per adult. It's free for Swiss Travel Pass holders.
The "Expo Pass" at CHF 30, available when all three castles are open, provides access to the museum, plus to the temporary exhibitions in the fortresses.
Where to get your tickets
You can buy your Fortezza Pass or entrance tickets online. They're available at the counters of the castles too.
Reservations
You don't have to make reservations to visit the fortresses.
➤ Discounted castle entrance with your rail pass
| Pass | Discount |
|---|---|
| Swiss Travel Pass | Free:
Mini train: no discount. |
| Swiss Travel Pass Flex | Free:
Mini train: no discount. |
| Ticino Ticket | Discount 30%:
Mini train: no discount. |
How to reach the castles of Bellinzona: directions and map
The castles are located in and just outside Bellinzona. A walk to the castles offers the best experience in my view.
How to reach Bellinzona
Bellinzona can be reached by train and by car. I recommend arriving by train. Read all of my Bellinzona travel tips here.
Walk to the town center and the Castelgrande
You can take a short walk from the train station to the town center, where the largest fortress of Castelgrande is located. Please find my directions here. The Villa dei Cedri museum is about 10 minutes off route, so that would add 20 minutes to your walk.
Walk to all three Bellinzona castles
There is a longer hiking route from the train station to the town center and to Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro. I describe it in detail here. The Villa dei Cedri museum is about 10 minutes off route, so that would add 20 minutes to your walk.
Visit by mini train
There's a mini road train called "Artù", departing from the center of town for a 1-hour tour along all castles. It usually operates from April to October.
Visit by bus
The Castelgrande is close to the train station and can be reached on foot in about 10 minutes. You don't need a bus.
Buses do run to the Villa dei Cedri museum and the Montebello and Sasso Corbaro castles up the hill. From the bus terminal opposite of the Bellinzona train station, it's just a 2-minute ride to Montebello, and a 7-minute ride to Sasso Corbaro by bus line 4. Find out how to plan your bus ride to the fortresses here.
Visit by car
Parking near Montebello, Sasso Corbaro, and the Villa dei Cedri museum is available, but the number of spots is limited. That's why you can better park your car at the P+Rail parking lot near the Bellinzona rail station, and continue on foot or by bus.
Opening dates, opening hours, and timetable tips
Opening dates and hours for the castles
- A walk along the castles and their courtyards can be done year-round.
- From 28 March until 11 November 2026, all 3 castles are open from 10:00 to 18:00.
- In the remaining months, only Castelgrande is open. Opening hours are from 10:30 to 16:00.
Opening dates and hours for the Villa dei Cedri museum
- Opening hours for the museum are 14:00 to 18:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 10:00 to 18:00 on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
- It's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
How to plan your castle and museum trip in the Swiss timetable
If you use the train and bus to get to your destinations, enter these names in the Swiss timetable:
- "Bellinzona" for the train station of Bellinzona
- "Bellinzona, Cast. Montebello" for the bus stop opposite the Montebello castle
- "Bellinzona, Cast. Sasso Corbaro" for the bus stop at the Sasso Corbaro castle
- "Bellinzona, Isolabella" or "Ravecchia, Paese" bus stops close to the Villa dei Cedri museum
Best months for the fortresses of Bellinzona
The best months to make a trip to the Bellinzona castles are early April to late June and early September to late October. In these months, the fortress museums are open. The weather is generally very pleasant; more so than in July and August to my taste. Plus, there are fewer tourists than in July and August.
A day trip in the low season period (November-March) is fine too. Even though you can't visit the museums and inner courtyards of all castles, you'll still see their impressive exteriors.
Weather tips and forecasts
As large parts of the fortress sites are outdoors, dry weather is best for a trip to the Bellinzona castles.
If you want to explore the city and castles on foot, solid hiking shoes are recommended. This is especially important if you hike up to Sasso Corbaro: the last part of the trail can be slippery in rainy weather.
What to expect from your visit to the fortresses
Castle 1: Castelgrande
The biggest castle of the three can be found on a hill, only 50 m above the town center of Bellinzona. It has a white and a black tower of 27 and 28 m high. In reality, their colors are not that different, but one is definitely darker than the other.
You can walk over the thick walls, stroll around the spacious courtyard, explore the large museum, and sit down in two restaurants. In addition, you can make a barefoot walk over the sensory path from spring to fall.
Castle 2: Montebello
You’ll find the second castle about 85 m above the town, on the hill named Montebello. There is a small museum, housing an archaeological exhibition. Here too, the impressive castle walls are accessible, and the views over Bellinzona and its valley are very pretty.
Castle 3: Sasso Corbaro
The castle at the highest location, at 235 m above Bellinzona, offers the best views of the area. You can see the other castles, and the views even reach as far as Lake Maggiore. There’s a small museum inside, and you’ll find a restaurant in the inner courtyard.
This smaller fortress was built in the late 15th century to improve the line of defense offered by the two other castles and the city walls. The walls of Sasso Corbaro are 4.7 m thick!
What to expect from the Villa dei Cedri
This art museum is housed in a wonderful 19th-century villa, surrounded by a small park with cedars (cedri). The collection consists of paintings, works on paper, and sculptures. There are temporary exhibitions from time to time as well.
Excursions to combine your castle visits with
If you visit the three castles and the Villa dei Cedri, I advise you to plan no other excursions on the same day. If your castle excursion is limited to half a day, consider these additional options:
- Visit Bellinzona and its castles for a break on the Gotthard Panorama Express route.
- If you make a day trip from Lucerne or another town north of the Gotthard mountains, return by train in the early evening and have dinner on board.
- Visit the nearby towns Lugano and Locarno.
When and why the fortresses were built
Bellinzona is located at a crossing of various pass roads. Because of that, it has been a strategic location for ages.
The castles were built from the 13th century, to help stop the Swiss Confederation from expanding further south. But ultimately the current canton of Ticino decided to join the confederation in 1513. The castles were then useful to stop the Venetians from expanding to the north.
More about the history of Switzerland can be read here.
Bellinzona Castles: FAQ
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Are the castles interesting for children?
Yes, especially if your kids like to imagine life in medieval times and if they want to learn about knights and armies. It’s exciting to explore the thick walls and winding stairs of Castelgrande and Montebello. There are large grassy areas for them to run around. The museums are interesting too.
I think Castelgrande is most suitable for children. It’s easiest to reach, has the largest site, and offers the most variety.
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Which of the three castles is best?
If you’re short on time, I’d say you should visit the Castelgrande. It’s in the center of Bellinzona and can quickly be reached. It’s the largest site with the largest museum. And you can see the other two castles from a distance.
If you like to hike and want to admire wide views over the Bellinzona Valley, the highest castle Sasso Corbaro is a must. I was most impressed by this less touristy and beautifully located fortress.
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How long does a visit to the Bellinzona fortresses take?
The quickest options take about 1 to 2 hours: a visit to just the Castelgrande, or a tour along the fortress exteriors by tourist train for example.
Count on at least 2 hours for a hike along the three castle exteriors, and extend this to approximately 4 hours if you want to visit the museums and interiors too.
Allocate a full day for your Bellinzona trip if you want to take your time in the three fortresses, especially if you plan to include the Villa dei Cedri museum too.
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- www.bellinzonaevalli.ch: the castles of Bellinzona
- www.villacedri.ch: the Villa Cedri museum
- www.bellinzonaevalli.ch: guided city and castle tours
- www.ticino.ch: tourist train Artù
Prices
- www.bellinzonaevalli.ch: prices and entry tickets for the Bellinzona castles
Gotthard Panorama Express
