castello di montebello

It is a very nice castle, and definetly worth the visit. Keep in mind though, that to get there on foot is a bit tricky, since it's climbing in the heat (well, during summer...) . The view is better than the other castle and it is a bit more quiet, a very relaxing atmosphere. The tourist information center told us that it was 'the little diamond' of Bellinzona. Don't miss it and head over there! You might even enjoy a beautiful sunset over there.

This is the only castle in Bellinzona we visited so we can't compare it to the others. It was very nice, though mostly you are not walking inside or seeing any rooms of the castle. Very little info in English. The museum had a lot of really nice relics in it, but I have no idea where they came (no English). We were able to park right at the castle and spent about an hour exploring. Bring water, it's quite exposed and can be very hot. I would not make a road trip to tour this castle, but if you are in the area, do stop in.

I enjoyed this castle, but it is much smaller than Castelgrande. Here you have to pay 5 CHF to look around and enter the museum though I recommend skipping the museum if you don't speak Italian, German or French as nothing inside is in English. I'm not a big museum person and not being able to read descriptions made it a bit of a waste of money for me! I did enjoy walking around the grounds though. The walkways along the walls are secured and have handrails and many more parts are blocked off than at Castelgrande. Be aware that every path you take you must turn around and take back, none of them connect to each other. The walking path up was a bit tricky for me to find but easy to follow once I found it. It's a bit rough going up but just about when I thought I couldn't go any farther I was there. I felt the lady who I gave my entrance fee to was giving priority to people who walked in after me because they spoke Italian. It was ok though and signs are better marked at this one (perhaps because it is smaller). Overall you don't need to spend too much time here but there are several picnic tables along the wall and it would be a great place for a picnic or kite flying.

The long winding walk up from the city centre.... Nice houses on the way up, great view of the city, snow capped mountains..and finally the castle itself... We found the montebello castle to be more interesting than the CastelGrande...our kids aged 6 and 4 really enjoyed this castle.... Explaining the rationale, construction of the castle was easier as well.A nice children's playground at the entrance/ exit of the castle makes it a plus for young kids... After the 25 minute trek uphill!!

The caste as such is not as impressive as the ones you find in England, Spain and France. I have yet to go to an incredible castle in Switzerland. Regardless the place is very well kept, the castle is impressive and the view is (as many places in Switzerland), breathtaking.The museum in the castle is small but "complete" showing the history of the area and castle. They showed us a video which is not worth the ticket and in the end there is not much to see inside the museum. There is a restaurant in the caste with a beautiful view but it seemed a bit informal so we decided to skip it.The city is beautiful and and well worth the visit. A short 35 minute train ride from Lugano

After visiting Castelgrande we went to this castle. It's fantastic too. There is no fee if you visit only the castle and the car park is free too. It's smaller inside than the first castle but outside it's spectacular with views of the other castle.

Fantastic castle! There’s not much interpretive information here, but the restoration work is outstanding. The place is very well-preserved. There are great views of Bellinzona, as well as the other castles in town, Sasso Corbado and Castelgrande. Admission is 5 Swiss Francs. If you have the time and inclination to see the other castles in town, there is a single fee of 10 Francs to see all 3 castles. Your admission ticket is a postcard of the castle – a nice touch, I thought. This would be a great place to take a picnic lunch (there are lawns and tables to sit at overlooking the city and providing views of the other castles).

The castle complexes here are a real historical treasure, and the local preservationists take great pride in safeguarding the past, keeping it beautiful in the present...and even constantly improving it for the future.

For me this castle has more character compared to the 2 other castles.. The drawbridge is epic. The bus (which runs barely every hour) can save the long hike up. So i suggest, visit the castle Grande first while waiting for the bus. It will save you a lot of time and effort.

A less visited castle just a little above Castlegrande, I really enjoyed walking around getting better views of the surroundings. Not as glamorous, but more authentic. There is a cool drawbrige, and you can walk all around the grounds without feeling a need to go inside the museum. The real museum is on the outside anyway.

Nicer, much nicer than Castelgrande. You must walk a little (10 min from central square, not more) or get there by car. peaceful and always a bit windy.

I prefer this castle to the larger more popular Castlegrande.It is harder to get to. We took the back way and hand to climb many steps to get there. I think there are other ways to reach this place. However, the effort is worth it. The castle is in very good original condition. There is even a draw bridge and a well. You can walk along the walls. You need about an hour to explore the place. There are great views of Castelgrande and the rest of the area. The town of Bellinzona is also charming. This was a daytrip for us, we drove from Lake Como.

This castle is the best of the three. It's quite a walk from castelgrande, lots of hills and steps. If you are driving, start with the top one, and try to park at each one.

The castle grounds can be explored freely, including the walls, multiple courtyards, and a moat and drawbridge. We were short on time near the end of our day, but the hike up from Bellinzona only takes about 10-15 minutes and the views over Castelgrande, the town and down the valley are striking. There was a medieval fair going on when we were there - would be a great event if you are taking kids, though I am not sure how many other times a year they have it.

i went with my kids. it is a small castle, but so special. very nice musem in the castle itself about the history of bellinzona. be sure to go! and have a picknick on the grounds in front of the castle where you have a beautiful view.