 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| The Region
of Bellinzona and Upper Ticino |
|
|
| Nature, Culture, Sport and Gastronomy |
Bellinzona and Upper Ticino are lands
just waiting to be discovered by eager visitors.
Valleys, majestic peaks and towering skies, but also lush
green plains shaped by rivers flowing along the valley-floor;
these are areas of rare natural beauty with ancient traditions,
areas nonetheless in constant evolution thanks to the
construction work in progress at the St. Gotthard tunnel,
the fundamental link in the high speed rail project by
AlpTransit.
South of the Alps, the succession of the seasons reveals
a land bathed in sunshine and blessed by Mother Nature,
a land abundant in flora and fauna, with age-old roads
and trails to follow that still bear reminders of an ancient,
glorious past.
Culturally, the region has a wealth of historical attractions,
like the castles of Bellinzona and Serravalle, as well
as artistic attractions, which include a number of museums
and ancient churches, the most notable being San Nicolao
in Giornico, San Pietro e Paolo in Biasca and Sant’Ambrogio
Vecchio in Negrentino: these buildings number among the
best examples of Lombard Romanesque architecture in the
Ticino canton.
Numerous events take place throughout the year: major
sporting events include the Easter football tournament
and the Christmas Hockey tournament in Bellinzona, the
Media Blenio international road race, international skiing
competitions not to mention other important events such
as the Carnival, the Piazza Blues Festival and the Castellinaria
international children’s film festival in Bellinzona.
Visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to doing
sport, whether winter or summer, thanks to ski resorts
and ski-lifts operating in the area, as well as other
mountain-related sports such as hiking, which exploits
the vast network of trails, mountain biking, climbing
and canyoning.
The regional gastronomy offers refined flavours, but also
typical, popular dishes to be savoured in the cool, characteristic
pubs (“grotti”), or bought at the Saturday
morning market in Bellinzona. May is the month of the
“Maggio Gastronomico” culinary festival, which
attracts numerous restauranteurs from Upper Ticino, proposing
dishes that range from the typical to the ultra-sophisticated. |
|
|
|
|
|
