Bellinzona

Three medieval castles — Castelgrande, Montebello, and Sasso Corbaro — crown the hills above this Italian-speaking Swiss town, earning Bellinzona a UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2000. The canton of Ticino's capital sits at the foot of the Alps along the Ticino River, with a walkable centre full of cafés and churches and wine-country surroundings that reflect the region's southern European character.

• Population43,220
• Nearest water from center0.3 km
• Nearest mountain from center2.7 km
• UNESCO within 50 km12