General directions

The medieval festival “La Spada nella Rocca” takes place in Bellinzona, capital of  Switzerland’s Canton Ticino. The next festival will take place beginning on the afternoon of Friday, May 29th 2009, and ending Sunday evening May 31st 2009.

BY AIR – You can easily reach us via the airports of Zurich-Kloten (Switzerland), Lugano-Agno (Switzerland), Milan-Malpensa (Italy), Milan-Linate (Italy), or Bergamo-Orio Al Serio (Italy).

Zurich-Kloten: There is a train connection Zurich-Bellinzona (FFS). The trip lasts approximately three hours.

Lugano-Agno: Agno is about 40 minutes away by car. For specific information, please contact the airport.

Milano-Malpensa 1 e 2: Malpensa Express offers shuttle bus connections to the train station in downtown Bellizona. Estimated travel time is two hours.

Milano-Linate: Shuttle bus connections are available to the Milano Centrale train station in Milan, from which trains regularly run to Bellinzona. Estimated travel time is 2 ½  hours, depending on train schedules.

Bergamo-Orio Al Serio: Shuttle bus connections are available to the Milano Centrale train station in Milan, from which trains regularly run to Bellinzona. Estimated travel time is 3  hours, depending on train schedules.

BY CAR – The city of Bellinzona can be reached via highway A2, either from the north (Airolo/Gottard), or from the south (Chiasso/Italy). It can also be easily reached via the roads that run down from San Bernardino or up from Lago Maggiore (Locarno, etc.). Since downtown parking may be at a premium, we invite you to park in the area around Bellinzona’s high school, where comfortable shuttles await to take you to the heart of the festival. In order to reach this parking area, we suggest you take the exit marked “Bellinzona Nord” and proceed into Bellinzona. Stay on the main road and, after passing four traffic lights, you will arrive at a circle, from which you should follow the signs for “Biblioteca Cantonale” and signs that advertise for La Spada nella Rocca.

BY PRIVATE BUS – Use the same directions for cars. For organizational reasons, we would be very grateful if you could give us advanced notice of your arrival.

BY TRAIN – All trains on the Zurich-Milan route, stop at Bellinzona. When you arrive at the Bellinzona train station, proceed on foot along Viale Stazione and in five minutes you will be in the historic downtown area. From here, a quick ten minute hike will put you inside the walls of either Castle Montebello or Castel Grande.