The castles of Bellinzona: the must-knows

  • You can visit three medieval castles plus the art museum Villa dei Cedri in Bellinzona (Ticino, southern Switzerland).
  • Use a Swiss Travel Pass for free entrance. Or just hike along the castles’ exteriors to avoid access costs.
  • If you’re short on time, visit the Castelgrande. It’s the largest fortress, right in the center of Bellinzona.
  • In a 25-minute uphill walk, you’ll reach the Montebello castle. Here you can roam over the thick castle walls and enjoy views over the valley.
  • If you like a longer hike and panoramic views, the highest castle Sasso Corbaro is a must.
Min. time required: 4:00
Season: all year
Recommended season: late March to late June and early September to late October
Max. altitude: 471 m (1545 ft)

Castle prices, tickets and reservations Copy link to clipboard

2024 entry prices for the Bellinzona castles

  • You can buy a "Bellinzona Pass" for CHF 28 per adult. This covers the entrance to all three fortresses and the Villa dei Cedri museum.
  • Alternatively, you can get separate tickets at CHF 10 to CHF 15 per castle.
  • Entrance 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.

Where to get your tickets

You can buy the Bellinzona 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.

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Discounted castle entrance with your rail pass Copy link to clipboard

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Swiss Travel Pass Free:
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Mini train: no discount.

Swiss Travel Pass Flex Free:
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Ticino Ticket Discount 30%:
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How to reach the castles of Bellinzona: directions and map Copy link to clipboard

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How does the timetable work?

The castles are located in and just outside Bellinzona. We recommend a walk for the best experience.

How to reach Bellinzona

Bellinzona can be reached by train and by car. We recommend arriving by train. Read all of our 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 our 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. We explain 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 operates from April to early November.

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.

The Villa dei Cedri museum and the Montebello and Sasso Corbaro castles up the hill can be reached by bus. 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.

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.

Map: location of the Bellinzona Castles and the Villa dei Cedri museum

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Opening dates, opening hours, and timetable tips Copy link to clipboard

Opening dates and hours for the castles

  • A walk along the castles and their courtyards can be done year-round.
  • From 23 March until 3 November 2024, all three castles are open from 10:00 to 18:00.
  • In the remaining months, only the Castelgrande is open. Opening hours are typically 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.
  • The park is open every day.

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, Isolabella" for the bus stop close to the Villa dei Cedri museum
  • "Bellinzona, Cast. Montebello" for the bus stop opposite the Montebello castle
  • "Bellinzona, Cast. Sasso Corbaro" for the bus stop at the Sasso Corbaro castle

Best months for the fortresses of Bellinzona Copy link to clipboard

The best months to make a trip to the Bellinzona castles are late March 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 our 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 museum and inner courtyards of all castles, you'll still see their impressive exteriors.

Weather tips and forecasts Copy link to clipboard

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.

Bellinzona weather forecast

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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 large 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 on 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!

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.

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 fortress visits with

If you visit the three castles and the Villa dei Cedri, we 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 as 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.

Bellinzona Castles: FAQ

  1. 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.

    We think Castelgrande is most suitable for children. It’s easiest to reach, has the largest site, and the most variety.

  2. Which of the three castles is best?

    If you’re short on time, we recommend visiting 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. We were most impressed by this less touristy and beautifully located fortress.

  3. 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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Annika
Page author: AnnikaSince early childhood I've been visiting Switzerland during my holidays and I just fell in love with the country. I spent many summers in the Bernese Oberland, which still feels like my second home, and then started to explore other areas. Traveling, hiking and photographing in the Swiss Alps are my absolute favorite activities.