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All Things Swiss

An Ultimate Guide To Bellinzona

Zoe| Ticino

You may be wondering, is Bellinzona worth visiting for your next travel location? The answer is yes! Bellinzona is the capital of the Ticino canton in Switzerland and has lots to offer for those visiting. Such as exploring castles, shopping at the weekly market and hiking for the most gorgeous valley views. Keep reading to see exactly where Bellinzona is in Switzerland, facts about Bellinzona, top things to do and where to stay in Bellinzona.

About Bellinzona

Where is Bellinzona?

Bellinzona is located in the Ticino canton of Switzerland in the very south of the country. It is the capital city of the Ticino canton and home to around 45,000 residents. The city is surrounded by the Lepontine Alps to the east and west, and the Lugano Prealps to the south.

Facts About Bellinzona

Curious what unique factors Bellinzona has? See here our top facts about Bellinzona:

  • Bellinzona only receives an average of 102.8 days of rain or snow per year
  • The coat of arms is a shows a serpent in silver on a red field
  • The name derives from zona bellica, referring to “war zone”
  • The German name of the town is Bellenz

Weather In Bellinzona

Like the most of Ticino, the weather is usually rather sunny, but it can be a bit windy based on the valley location. During summer time, you can expect the usual temperatures of 30°C in the shade. Whereas winter averaging around 1°C as the maximum. So depending on when you visit, make sure your prepared with warm jumpers or suncream!

Based on the weather, it’s of course most popular to visit during the Spring and Summer seasons. Ticino is a popular destination for Swiss nationals visiting from the North as well as tourists, so plan ahead to not miss out.

View from the Castle

Things To Do In Bellinzona

The Three Castles Of Bellinzona

The three gorgeous and historical castles in Bellinzona are the top highlights of the city. Each one is unique, but all served an important role in history. Since the year 2000, they combine the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Castelgrande

Castelgrande is the main castle that you can find right in the city centre of Bellinzona. There is a sloping walkway to the top, else to grab the lift from Bellinzona Piazza. You can enter the castle grounds for free, which allows you to see the beautiful walls and city from above. For those who want to learn more, make time to visit the museum, which covers the history from when it was a Neolithic village to the 20th century.

Sasso Corbaro

Many get a local bus to this one, but it’s easy to reach for those who are active. Just like the Castelgrande, the views are beautiful and the castle itself is well worth visiting. The Sasso Corbaro castle is located the highest of the three, it is not within the city walls. There are also temporary exhibits to see here, and to learn more about how the tower was once a prison!

Montebello

The uniqueness of Montebello is that it’s the only one of the three castles that has deep moats surrounding the walls. It is also very easy to spot the different years of construction to the castle, such as the 13th century walls to the 17th century buildings. Montebello also has a little chapel, which is one of the few buildings that was erected within the castles. You can also visit the Archaeological and Civic Museum here.

Castelgrand castle with wineyards located in the city centre of Bellinzona

We have a fully-loaded, high content Ticino Guide listing local things to see, do and explore with each season: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. 

Click here

Hike Motto della Croce

Head to the Motto della Croce location found on google maps for some hiking. It’s nice to start the route from the square in Bellinzona, going up through the castle of Montebello, then Artore and up to Pian Laghetto in the woods up to the motto. For those with some hiking experience, it can take around 3 hours. Once at the top, the views on a clear day are magnificent.

Collegiate of SS. Pietro and Stefano

Located right in the city centre is this 17th century parish church is one of the most important religious buildings in Bellinzona. The church is renaissance style and covered with white-greyish marble, with inside having 5 side chapels and two holy water stoups. All surrounded by a pretty baroque interior.

The Weekly Bellinzona Market

The weekly market is always a treat in Bellinzona, with local fresh items being sold to a few souvenirs for the tourists. You cannot miss it on a Saturday, as all the market stands are throughout the old city centre. Treat yourself to some of the local cheeses, fresh breads and top quality products.

Bellinzona city centre
Market stand selling flowers on Saturday in Bellinzona
The church on the main Bellinzona square

A Walk Along the River

If you want to take a longer walk from the city centre, head towards the river. The route allows you sit by the waters edge and enjoy some peace, making it also a great place to read a book on a summers day. Else to walk all the way along the path to enjoy the scenery. You can join the locals in some running or fitness along the way.

Dine Out For The Night

For those staying longer than a day, there are many restaurants worth visiting depending on what you fancy. A personal recommendation is Ristorante Pizzeria Grill La Lampara Bellinzona. Here you can relax inside or outside, with the most delicious and fresh dishes to choose from. The pizzas are perfectly cooked and highly recommended!

Bellinzona Piazza Square

Finished in 1999, this concrete designed square is located in the heart of the city surrounded by the shops and a supermarket. It is a place for locals to sit and relax in the sunshine. It is also the roof of the parking below the ground, so it’s central location is ideal for those visiting for a day with a car. On the side of the square you can view a decorative element, which is a fountain representing a snake, the heraldic emblem of Bellinzona.

The castle viewed from below on with the Ticino logo

Easy Day Trip Locations From Bellinzona

From Bellinzona, you can also easily travel to other locations within Ticino from the main train and bus station. So if you are staying in Bellinzona as your base, this is perfect for the following day trips:

  • Lugano a 20 minute train ride
  • Locarno is also a 20 minute train ride
  • Lavertezzo is 1 hour away with train and bus
  • Ascona is a 1 hour train ride
  • Mendrisio is a 40 minute train ride
  • Como is a 1 hour 10 minute train ride
  • Milan is a 2 hour train ride

All are within 1 hour of driving too, but we recommend taking public transportation, which is easy, efficient and enjoyable!

Lavertezzo with clear blue waters and mountains in the distance

Bellinzona hotels

For a place to stay, there are many hotels and cute B&Bs in Bellinzona. With lots to choose from, we can recommend the following with good reviews:

  • Hotel Internazionale Bellinzona – excellent location in Bellinzona with outstanding hotel service
  • Scarpapè – gorgeous apartments with a view of the city and BBQ and hot tub facilities
  • Villa del Gusto – a pretty and peaceful place with garden and free parking
  • V Apartments – large apartments for those who want to stay longer with kitchen facilities

We have also stayed in Bellinzona while pet sitting. This is always great as you can stay for free at someones home while you pet sit their animals. We did this with the most cuddliest cat for a long weekend in Bellinzona. Curious to do this too? check here!

Our pinterest advertisement for the blogpost, showing the Bellinzona castle grounds and wineyards
Our pinterest advertisement for the blogpost, showing the beautiful pink flowers found in Ticino and Bellinzona
Our pinterest advertisement for the blogpost, showing the castle and ticino logo in Bellinzona
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Ciao, I’m Zoe!

Zoe Together In Switzerland

I’m a native Brit-turned-Dutch expat living in Ticino, Switzerland with my boyfriend and our 2 kitty cats since 2022.

Our site highlights our most fun adventures and experiences while exploring local life in Switzerland.

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Taking a scenic route is ALWAYS a good idea ☀️ Taking a scenic route is ALWAYS a good idea ☀️
Last weekend we visited the San Bernardino Pass 🚘 and it was pretty empty! 
We were in t-shirts and was worried that we'd be cold, but surprisingly it was still somewhat warm up there. So we even put the roof down on our car! ✌️ 
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📷 September Photos Dump 🌻 We did a lot of t 📷 September Photos Dump 🌻
We did a lot of things in September, including travels to Poland and the Netherlands. ✈️
But here are 10 random photos from a hike, rainy day, sunshine, our kitties and more Switzerland moments taken during September!! ☀️🇨🇭
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#luganoswitzerland #luganoregion #luganomycity  #ticinoturismo #ticinomoments #ticino #luganophotographer #luganoturismo #ticinoswitzerland #cantonticino #visitswitzerland #togetherinswitzerland #tessin  #myswitzerland🇨🇭 #swissdolcevita #swissexpat #expatinswitzerland  #autumnswitzerland #hikinginswitzerland
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Hello September 💙 Hello to a new month of.... Hello September 💙
Hello to a new month of.... 
travels,
work personal adventures, 
new workout routine, 
new hair products to try, 
warm blankets,
autumn colours,
local candle light restaurants to eat at, 
different hiking locations, 
new blogposts to share, 
new netlix shows to watch,
orange falling leaves, 
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