Details of the Bellinzona town walk along three castles

How to get there and back

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 here.

Section 1: Montebello and Sasso Corbaro

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. Turn left into the alley Salita alla Motta.
• Continue following the path up the hill (see the map) until you reach the first castle Montebello after 400 m or so.
• Enter the courtyard of the castle and exit it on the other side.
• Follow the path to the road (Via Artore), then take the footpath up the hill leading away from the road.
• You'll again reach the Via Artore as the path is a shortcut for the road winding its way up the hill. Cross the street, and again take the footpath to reach the Via Artore again further up the hill.
• Turn left and follow the Via Artore for 150 m. Take a U-turn into Via Benedetto Ferrini.
• After 100 m, turn left into the path going further up the hill. Follow the path for about 300 m, until you can turn left into a steep rocky path leading up to the castle.
• You've now reached the highest point of this hike. Enjoy the view!

Section 2: center of town and Castelgrande

• Walk all the way back until the Piazza Collegiata. Turn left to enter the Piazza Collegiata and Via Nosetto.
• Walk straight ahead 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 the last castle: Castelgrande.
• 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.