Coming down from the Gotthard or the San Bernardino, the Ticino valley narrows into a bottleneck at Bellinzona, and right in the middle of it, on a rocky hill above the old town, sits Castel Grande. Its two square towers and long crenellated walls are the oldest and largest of the three castles of Bellinzona, which together with the defensive wall across the valley make up a World Heritage site.
The site has been fortified since at least Roman times, but most of what you see dates from the fifteenth century, when the Dukes of Milan, first the Visconti and then the Sforza, made Bellinzona the northern bolt of their territory. Their enemies were the Swiss confederates pushing south over the Alps, and for decades the castles stood in the way. In the end the Swiss took the town in 1500 and kept it, which is why Ticino is Swiss today rather than Italian. The two smaller castles, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro, climb the hillside to the east, each higher than the last.
You can walk up to Castel Grande or take a lift that runs inside the rock from the old town, a pleasantly surreal entrance. At the top, the grassy courtyard is wide and calm, the walls offer views up and down the valley, and the small museum covers the history of the castle and the region. In the late afternoon, when the stone turns honey-coloured and the swifts scream around the towers, it is one of the most atmospheric places in Switzerland.
For riders, Bellinzona is a natural hub. The A2 motorway runs through, but the old cantonal road up the Leventina towards the Gotthard and the road up the Mesolcina towards the San Bernardino are more fun if you have the time. South, the roads lead to Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano, and into the side valleys like the Valle Verzasca, with its emerald water and stone bridges. Summer can be hot in the valley, so plan your passes for the morning.
Bellinzona has plenty of fuel, restaurants and accommodation. The Saturday market in the old town is lively, with cheese, salami and local wines. Try a plate of polenta with brasato, or a glass of Ticino Merlot on a terrace below the castle walls.