Rising dramatically above the Old Town, this medieval stronghold is Bellinzona’s most visible icon. Head up Salita San Michele from Piazza Collegiata, or take the lift, buried deep in the rocky hill in an extraordinary concrete bunker-style construction, from Piazza del Sole. After wandering the grounds and the museum, stroll west along the Murata, the castle’s snaking ramparts, with photogenic views of vine-streaked mountains and castle-studded hills.
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Castelgrande
Top choice in Ticino
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.27 MILES
This elegant 18th-century villa on the banks of Lake Como was once home to composer Vincenzo Bellini is now an award-winning luxury hotel.
0.23 MILES
On cloudless days, you can see Lake Maggiore from this 13th-century hilltop fortification. The fortress is one of Bellinzona’s most impressive with its…
17.97 MILES
A 1km walk along the (partially wooded) lake shore from Lenno's main square, Villa Balbianello has cinematic pedigree: this was where scenes from Star…
17.43 MILES
The star of the show on a lake shore not bereft of elegant touches, the Villa Carlotta is a fabulous fusion of neoclassical architecture and harmonious…
Santuario della Madonna del Sasso
11.05 MILES
Overlooking the town, this sanctuary was built after the Virgin Mary supposedly appeared in a vision to a monk, Bartolomeo d’Ivrea, in 1480. There’s a…
26.49 MILES
Como’s awesome marble-clad cathedral is one of the most important buildings on the lake, incorporating a variety of styles – Romanesque, Renaissance and…
0.5 MILES
From central Bellinzona, it’s a 3.5km hike south to the Castello di Sasso Corbaro. Perched high on a wooded hillside, the castle has an austere beauty…
24.78 MILES
In the unassuming town of Casalzuigno, about 9km east of Laveno, generations of nobles have swanned about the magnificent gardens of Villa della Porta…
Nearby Ticino attractions
This museum has a modest collection of finds from Castelgrande's hill dating to prehistoric times. More engaging are the 15th-century ceiling decorations…
0.1 MILES
This cobblestone square is framed by graceful 18th-century patrician houses, many with decorative wrought-iron balconies.
3. Chiesa Collegiata dei SS Pietro e Stefano
0.11 MILES
Light streams through the rose window above the portal in this Renaissance church, lavishly adorned with frescoes and baroque stucco.
0.15 MILES
Bellinzona’s restored Renaissance town hall is worth a peek for its beautiful three-storey inner courtyard of loggias and frescoes showing historic scenes…
0.22 MILES
This ochre-hued church is noteworthy for its huge fresco of St Christopher and a smaller one of the Virgin Mary and Christ.
0.23 MILES
On cloudless days, you can see Lake Maggiore from this 13th-century hilltop fortification. The fortress is one of Bellinzona’s most impressive with its…
0.5 MILES
From central Bellinzona, it’s a 3.5km hike south to the Castello di Sasso Corbaro. Perched high on a wooded hillside, the castle has an austere beauty…
8. Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie
0.54 MILES
This 15th-century church has an extraordinary fresco cycle (recently restored after being damaged by fire in 1996) of the life and death of Christ. The…