Bellinzona

Gateway to the South
For the traveller of times past, Bellinzona seemed like the key to the Alps from the South, or the gate to Italy from the North. Even today, the capital of the Ticino profits from this rich medieval heritage. Behind the charms of a Lombardic small town is hidden the throbbing life of an important cultural centre between the Romance- and Germanic-speaking world. The corners and squares, the courts and ancient houses tell their story to the attentive observer.
But what would Bellinzona be without the incomparable glory of its three majestic castles? The biggest among them, the Castelgrande, now appears in renewed splendor after a recent successful renovation. The castles tell the history of centuries, written by Romans and Langobards, of its Lords in Switzerland and Milan. This rich heritage is contrasted by the works of the famous present-time Ticino architects. A history that does not leave untouched even the most distracted of strollers.