Bellinzona Switzerland

A quick introduction provided by Google: “Bellinzona, the capital of the Swiss canton of Ticino, has served as a strategic Alpine military choke point since antiquity, controlling the crucial trade and transit routes between northern Europe and Italy. Its location made it a heavily fortified prize, contested for centuries by regional powers until the Dukes of Milan built its iconic defensive network in the 14th and 15th centuries to block the Swiss Confederation. The Swiss ultimately captured the region in 1500, integrating it into the modern state where it evolved from a medieval stronghold into a vital railway hub.

Bellinzona is the perfect mix of the modern and ancient. A quick walk from the city center whisks a visitor in an elevator to a castle originally built over 21 centuries ago. And, Castle Grande is but one of three UNESCO World Heritage Site castles in Bellinzona. A farmers’ market is held each Saturday and during holidays it is very festive.

Castelgrande is open all year and has a permanent exhibition space as well as temporary exhibits. Look in “more pictures” for a sample of the exhibits. The other two castles (Montebello, and Sasso Corbaro) are not open in the winter but visitors can walk outside the walls and enjoy the views of the valley below.

We stayed at The Window for a week and had a great time looking over the valley, watching New Year fireworks, and watching hang gliders drift to their designated landing location just across the river. This BnB’s name describes the experience as the entire bedroom and shared space was lined by windows from the floor to the ceiling. This location was only a few minutes drive to the castles, train station, and awesome Chinese food. Parking was available with a reservation and breakfast was provided by the host.