Three castles make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Castles of Bellinzona. The castle, which was constructed in the 1200s to ward off the invading Swiss armies to the North; however, in 1513 the current canto of Ticino joined the confederation, and the castles were then used to defend against the Venetians. The largest castle is called Castelgrande and features an iconic black and white tower, a restaurant on-site and museum. Montebello also has a museum, and most visitors enjoy taking in the views from the walkable castle walls. Sasso Corbaro was built in the late 1400s to improve defense of the other two castles and sits at the highest elevation, offering the best views of the area.

In addition to the three Castles of Bellinzona, the Villa dei Cedri Museum is an art museum inside a 19th-century villa in a park nearby the castles. Visitors can see paintings, sculptures, and rotating temporary art exhibitions at the museum.

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