Day 1 of our holiday was designated Italian Swiss Day. We had twelve months to figure out our holiday so it was very well planned. We had a punishing set of activities so we could try to see as much of the highlights of Switzerland as possible within the first six days. Our first day in Switzerland and we were up before the chickens and on a train by 8:09 for the trip to the canton of Ticino – Italian speaking Switzerland.
First stop Bellinzona
We went to climb the magnificent castles and fortifications that cut through the heart of the city and up both sides of the valley. It was a beautiful, blue sky day when we hiked up to Castelgrande and walked around the fortifications.
A bit of history: The name Bellinzona does not derive from beauty (Belle or Bella) but from “zona bellica” which translates into “war zone” hence the castles and fortifications. The routes through the Alps have always been of crucial strategic importance. The three Castles of Bellinzona were built in the Medieval Age and were designed to prevent the Swiss from expanding southwards. In 1478 the Swiss attacked Bellinzona and a force of 600 Swiss soldiers defeated 10,000 Milanese troops. This was part of an expansionist policy of the Old Swiss Confederation to gain control over the mountain pass. Finally, in 1503 Bellinzona chose to no longer to be a subject of Milan and instead joined the Swiss Confederation so that in the following years the fortresses were used against the south and against Milan.
