Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

My eleven year old son preferred exploring castles, particularly those in ruins, more than just about anything else during the incredible two weeks we spent in Switzerland. Imagine his delight when we arrived in Bellinzona to the site of not just one but three castles, which are together a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Castelgrande, Castello di Montebello, and Castello di Sasso Corbaro, plus the extensive crenellated walls linking the first two, created a formidable defense system during the Middle Ages and allowed the complete control of traffic through the valley. Our favorite of the castles was Castello di Montebello, which is pictured. An extensive ruin and the most complex of the three, it includes a 13th century keep and a 15th century residential palace; an eleven year old boy's dream-come-true!