River Walk along the Morobbia and the Ticino from Giubiasco to Castione

Thursday February 20, 2025 -- Here and there now a few days without fog, but very overcast, even in the Ticino, except this Thursday (Urs even swapped his days off), so we headed there for some sunshine. What was our surprise when we got to Bellinzona and couldn't see ANY of the many mountains surrounding this city because of the very hazy air! In fact, we could barely see the three fortresses which the city is famous for. (This has rarely ever been the case for the many trips we have made here).  

We had planned a riverside walk (Morobbia and Ticino Rivers) ending at the Castel Grande fortress, but there wasn’t much point in heading up to the castle (which we had visited back in 2015, but is definitely worth another visit), so we just extended our walk along the Ticino River to end further north at the train station in Castione-Arbedo, an almost 11-kilometer walk in all. As outings go, it was probably the best choice for this day: Going higher up would not have given us the views we love, and because the trees were devoid of leaves, we saw more of the rivers than we would have in summer. Also, the small footpaths along the river made the walk more interesting. (Usually I don't manage such long riverbank walks). 

It only takes us 1 hour and 40 minutes to get from home to Giubiasco, where we started our walk, so the trip isn’t a great loss for us, even if it’s not quite what we had expected.

It took us a little over 90 minutes to get from home to Giubiasco, where we started our walk at about 11:25 from the train station to a small church which we saw on the map. The church is called San Giobbe, built in 1627 and renovated in the 19th Century. 

Three of the walls were fairly plain (it looked like a simple Romanesque building), but the apse side is heavily decorated with stucco artwork. 

The frescoes depict the life of the Virgin Mary, and the large painting behind the altar depicts the Holy Trinity between two angels and is a valuable work of art by a (Swiss?) artist named Alessandro Gorla (17th Century). 

We had a peek into the small building next to the church, where I glanced a very nice ceiling with paintings, but there was currently a wake going on for a recently deceased person, so we closed the door right away and left 

In Giubiasco.

In the center of Giubiasco is another church we have visited once before (March 2021, photos HERE), and passed recently on a walk down from the mountains which we see in the background (those photos HERE). The church is called Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta. The church was built in the 12th Century, then later enlarged in the 15th Century and rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 17th Century. 

Entering the church through the pretty carved wooden main doors, from 1777. 

The frescoes on the interior were discovered during renovations in the 20th Century. They date from the 15th and 16th Centuries. 

The apse is richly covered in stucco sculptures and features a beautiful marble altar from 1793. 

The organ (built in 2008) is HUGE and takes up about 1/3rd of the back part of the building. On the right is a fresco featuring "The Last Supper". 

Checking out the various restaurants here as it was close to lunch time, but we decided to walk to the Morobbia River and look for a bench there to eat the sandwiches we had brought along. 

To the north we finally can see a bit of the mountains here. That one is called Pizzo di Claro. 

We got to the Morobbia River at noon, but it was so hazy that we could not even see the mountains at the back of the Morobbia Valley!

We found a convenient bench and ate our sandwiches here, before heading out on our walk.

From the train station in Giubiasco, we walked to the town center, then toward the Morobbia River which we followed to where it enters the Ticino River. The rest of the walk was along the Ticino river, past the castles in Bellinzona, to the train station in Castione-Arbedo. In all it was 11 kilometers, starting at 11:30 and getting to Castione at shortly after 3 p.m. 

Following a trail along the Morobbia River. 

Along the way we saw this sign that reads "Morobbia River Trail"; it is probably used mostly by locals. 

Up river we can now see the mountains at the back of the Morobbia Valley. We have done a couple of hikes there in 2016 (those photos are HERE and HERE.)

We had to cross under the railway line to get to the Ticino River. 

Heading west toward the Ticino River. 

Another look up the Morobbia Valley

This is where the Morobbia River enters the Ticino River. That interesting bridge behind Urs reflected blue and yellow onto the river!

This is where the Morobbia River enters the Ticino River. 

Now we follow the river northwards for seven kilometers (Although originally the idea was leave the river at the level of the Castel Grande Fortress). 

The National Trail no.7: Via Gottardo runs parallel to the river as well, but on a dam just slightly to the east of here. Although that trail gives a better view of the castles, this smaller footpath through a park we found out later was called the "Parco Fluviale Saleggi-Boschetti"--a renaturation project by the city of Bellinzona--was more interesting. 

Along the way we passed several bridges spanning the Ticino River. This one leads to the community of Monte Carasso, where the Sementina River enters the Ticino. (Upriver along the Sementina is the fabulous Tibetan Bridge which we crossed a couple of times. Some of the photos are HERE. We also did a large loop hike higher on that mountain back in March of 2019, from where we got a look at the Bellinzona castles from above. Photos HERE). 

We passed through a section of the park with many very pretty birch trees. 

Up ahead is another large bridge crossing the river, the main motor-vehicle bridge from Bellinzona to Monte Carasso. All along this trail we remarked that we could see more of the river at this time of year, when the trees are leafless, than we would have in summer!

This is the north end of the "Saleggi-Boschetti Riverside Park" renaturation project, with another cool bridge crossing the river. To the north is the summit of Pizzo di Claro. 

This was the information placard we saw at the north end of the park, which informed us that the entire trail we had just walked from the Morobbia River was a riverside renaturization project, starting in 2020, with additional sections planned for 2025. 

A really cool bridge!

At some point we left the smaller footpath and climbed up to the dam trail, for a view of the three fortresses which are the features of the city which make it a UNESCO heritage site. The large one in the front is Castel Grande, on the left you can make out the Castello di Montebello, and higher up on the mountain is the Castello di Sasso Corbaro. (We visited all of these castles in 2015, photos are HERE). 

Looking back behind us at the dam trail which we are now walking on. 

This trail is part of two National Trails: "No.7: Via Gottardo" and "No.2: Trans-Swiss Trail". To the south, this riverside trail is alled "Magadino Trail" (Magadino is the valley basin between here and Lake Maggiore), and to the north where we are headed along the "Riviera Trail", another hour to go to the train station in Castione. ("Riviera" is the valley between here and Biasca) 

Heading north along the dam trail next to the Ticino River. 

Directly to the east we study that mountain, wondering if we walked across that flank. We determined that it was across this mountain flank which we walked in March of 2021 when we visited the mountain villages up there, after also that first visit of the Santa Maria Assunta church in Giubiasco. (Photos HERE)

The summit of Pizzo di Claro comes into view again. We are, once again, in awe that we have walked up there, having taken a cable car about two-thirds up the mountain and spending a night in a hostel (at the right arrow) before continuing over the ridge to the Calanca Valley (left arrow) on the next day (those photos are HERE). 

Another look behind us. 

To the left of the walking trail was a very large off-leash dog park, fortunately separated from the walking trail by a fence. It was interesting to watch all the people with their many dogs walking there. 

A short detour (unintentionally) down to the river in Arbedo, and a view of the Castello di Montebello above Bellinzona to the south. 

Across the river we see the bell-tower of a church in the village of Gorduno, a place we have not yet visited, so an option for a future trip (although there are not a lot of hiking trails on that side of the river, except way up onto the mountain!)

Close-up of the village of Gorduno across the Ticino River. 

Just north of a small stream coming down from the Valle d'Arbedo, we head away from the vehicle road for a short stretch through the forest near the Moesa Delta. (Moesa is the large river flowing down from the San Bernardino Pass through the Mesocco Valley to enter the Ticino River here). 

The train passes us from Bellinzona heading north to the Gotthard Tunnel, as we get a nice look into the Mesocco Valley. 

Final stretch now as we cross the Moesa River (which flows into the Ticino River here) just before reaching the Castione-Arbedo train station (where we just missed the 15:05 train back to Bellinzona, and had to wait 30 minutes for the next train home from there. (Side Note: In September of 2024, I did a walk on my own coming down the Mesocco Valley along this river, and crossed the bridge here at the time as well. Those photos are HERE).  

What our walk looked like on Google Satellite Maps. 

These are all the hikes we have done in the region around Bellinzona. 

This is a photo from our March 2019 hike (photos HERE) when we walked high up on mountain above Monte Carasso. Down below we can see the stretch of the Ticino River at Arbedo, where the Moesa River enters the Ticino River from the Mesocco Valley. 

Also from our March 2019 walk on the mountain across from Bellinzona, we could see both the Montebello and Castel Grande Castles from above. 

Mountain Hike High above Bellinzona to the Monti di Ravecchia

Saturday March 20, 2021 -- Just last week we were down here (further South near Lugano) for the sunshine and a hope of warmer weather. That's why we went again, because all elsewhere it was cold(er).

Our excursion this time had two components: We started the three-hour mountain hike high above Bellinzona only at noon because of the sun direction (and the bus schedule), so we started out with a two-kilometer walk along the main street through Bellinzona to a church whose beautiful paintings (frescoes) I had wanted to see. 

Even along this short stretch there was so much to admire: The beautiful buildings of Bellinzona; magnolias now flowering in full glory (last week they hadn't quite opened yet); the busy Saturday market (normally during this time it is festive carnival, but unfortunately there is no carnival this year). And the beautifully painted interior of the "Santa Maria delle Grazie" church was worth the trip. (Information panels informed us that this -- one of the most beautiful and evocative churches in Canton Ticino, dating from the 15th Century -- was largely destroyed by fire in 1996, but totally restored. During the restoration a colony of bats was discovered in the belfry, the largest bat colony in Ticino).

From here we took a bus via Giubiasco into the Valle Morobbia to one of the highest communities accessed by public transport, and from there we walked North along the mountain flank on real mountain trails, visiting the mountain hamlets named for their city counterparts in the valley below. The best surprise for us was that we descended through the forest on an "unofficial trail" (according to our map) which turned out to be 1.5 kilometers of an old mule trail, totally paved in stones: Magnificent!

And last but not least, due to the Foehn wind effect, the highest mountains in the Swiss Alps far away in Canton Valais were looking really close up this day!

PART I: Two-Kilometer Walk through Bellinzona to "Santa Maria delle Grazie" Church

Before heading out of the main square in Bellinzona, you can see two of Bellinzona's three castles from here. (In the background is the mountain we want to walk on)

Some of the nice buildings in old town Bellinzona, including Castel Grande, which is right in the heart of town.

The first of many fantastic magnolia trees currently in full bloom

A very unusual house, with an interesting winter garden

Lots and lots of magnolias

And one more particularly stunning tree...

It took us about 20 minutes to walk from the train station to the church called "Santa Maria delle Grazie"

There are two sections to this church. On the dividing wall are 15 smaller panels surrounding a larger one, depicting the life of Jesus. A beautiful piece of artwork. There were additional valuable paintings hanging on the walls, but too dark to photograph.

The frescoed wall in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie

Here is what the church looked like after the fire of December 1996. It must have been a devastating loss for the community, but the church has since been totally restored. At least it looks like most of the artwork was left intact. 

Attached to the church is what used to be a Franciscan Monastery. We had a look around their courtyard. 

Here along the gallery were some more impressive works of art. And some tropical plants waiting for warmer weather!

Real lemons, oranges and what look like kumquats!

After visiting the church, we took a bus to Giubiasco and had 10 minutes to transfer, enough time to admire this interesting tree!

And another chapel in the heart of Giubiasco (Santa Maria Assunta)

And we even had time for a quick look inside the church!

Heading into the Morobbia Valley by bus, we get a look up at Monti di Ravecchia, which is the main goal of our hike.

PART II: Three-hour Hike from Paudo to the Montis above Bellinzona

After a 20-minute bus ride along a narrow zigzag road, we got out in Paudo Village at the entrance of the Morobbia Valley. There was an icy wind blowing but we took a moment to admire this view of the Magadino Basin. In the back are the mountains of the Vergeletto and Cento Valli.

Starting in Paudo, we walked North along the mountain flanks, from Monti to Monti (small villages above their counterparts in the valley below). Even though it was 11 a.m, we still had some shady sections.

Here's a look North into the Riviera Valley

Heading off the road onto the mountain trail. It was quite windy and cold!

Look at the size of that chestnut tree!

Heading off to Monti di Ravecchia (a 20-minute climb), and from there to Monti di Arture, and Monti Juri.

Some of our trail was still on the shady side of the hillside

Some of the first colour in this brown landscape!

We made it up to Monti di Ravecchia! A wonderful location for a vacation home. It can be accessed by road as well, so quite convenient

This is usually a place where we would have our picnic lunch, but it was too windy.

So we found a different sunny spot for our picnic, slightly less windy....

This has become our picnic lunch of choice, we have waited almost a year for this Bear Garlic Pasta Salad to show up in the grocery store again! (seasonal)

This cutest little bird "serenaded" us with some peeping. It is called an Eurasian siskin, and is quite a common bird here. 

Another look across the rooftops of Monti di Ravecchia to the Magadino Valley Basin.

A zoomed view of the mountains we can see far in the back, which are most likely in Italy

Here are the remains of an avalanche, lots of snow covered in leaves and rocks. You can see where the mass of snow damaged the guard rails. 

From here at Monti Juri we could descend to Bellinzona, but we are doing a detour via Monti di Daro. 

Just below Monti di Daro, from here we're heading down to Bellinzona

On our way down to the valley bottom, this view North along the Ticino River up the Riviera Valley. 

Enjoying the fantastic view up the Riviera Valley. 

For 1.5 kilometers down through the forest, we followed this old mule trail. It was a real surprise, especially as it is no longer part of the official network of hiking trails. But it must have been an important route before the new paved road was built!

Walking along the old mule trail, paved with cobblestones. 

VIDEO:

A short piece of the Mule Trail

 

Imagine the work required to build 1.5 kilometers of this trail!

One section of the forest was full of these pretty purple flowers!

A view of the Castel Grande Fortress in the center of town. This and the other two castles above the city together constitute one of Switzerland's 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

And one final magnificent tree just behind the train station...

Both walks together were about 3.5 hours, 10 km. 

Depiction of our Trail in Google Earth. First walk started at the train station in Bellinzona, 2 km to the Church. The second hike started at Paudo and descended back to the train station after a walk across the mountainside. 

As with most areas around Canton Ticino, we have done a lot of walking in this area!

A week earlier we hiked near Lugano further to the South. This time the hike was near Bellinzona. 

LINKS to other hikes we have done around Bellinzona and Valle Morobbia:

October 2016: Valle Morobbia

April 2019: Castles of Bellinzona and a "Ghost Town" above Ravecchia