Bellinzona, June 16

Left Davos on time, headed for Filster, then towards Chur on the train, getting off at Thusis to catch the Post Bus towards Bellinzona- arrived right on time, and the hotel was actually right at the train station, so I dropped the bags off, and headed out to see the castles!

The first one is Castlegrande- right in the old downtown. A steep walk up through very narrow street - definitely pedestrian only. You can climb to the top of the tower, with access to it and the high wall from the first tower. In the last remaining building in the inner bailey, there is a museum on the historic aspects of the castle and the area. It also contains a resturant and a terrace, where I stopped for a drink. It was starting to get warm! I then headed out on the section of the "murano" - the remains of the castle wall - as it headed toward the river, and returned using the inner section of the wall, underground. After, I headed down to the town then started up to the second castle.

These castles were initially built and fortified by the Dukes of Milan - understandable as this is the area where the routes to and through the alps all converge.

 

 

 

 

The view down to Castlegrande from Montebello

Again, a narrow, steep walkway. However, this one then ends up running along the wall, and you come into the inner bailey of the castle, crossing the rail lines without even realizing it.

The museum in the inner castle here consists of archaeological finds from the region - quartz and stone flints, copper metalwork of all sorts such as pins, belt buckles, and decorations, along with pottery.

 

 

 

Montebello from above

The next castle up is the the highest of the lot, the last one built, and the fastest built - it only took about 6 months to construct. The castle bailey here contained a little restaurant, and the museum was one of a modern sort- it contained a pictorial story of a guy's 9-month hike along the "Amber Road" running from Austria to St. Petersburg. The photos were interesting, though the explanation of what the amber road was/the historic part of the route was definitely lacking.

 

 

 

Of course, by this time, I'm hot and sweaty as i've climbed to the top castle - but looking out, there are houses still far further up the hill - amazingly high up.

Then the walk down the hill, back to the hotel for a shower, clean up and went to the resturant for a drink. Figured out my timing for the trip to Zermatt, and went to sleep!