Arco

Arco

Arco is a town of about 17,000 inhabitants, located in the Alto Garda and Ledro communities.

Like many towns in Trentino, the city consists of a fortified medieval center of great beauty. Yet the city of Arco has a peculiarity that distinguishes it from other centers: it is a natural health center. Thanks to its mild climate and its clear and healthy air, since the time of the Habsburgs this city has been considered a “natural clinic“, in the words of Archduke Albert of Habsburg.
The nursing homes were built in large numbers since the nineteenth century, and are still active: it is in fact possible to practice baths and inhalations, as well as enjoy a relaxing stay away from everyday stress.

The town of Arco has undergone a strong Austrian influence, and this is strongly reflected in the style of the houses, but also in the presence of gardens and parks. The old city also has beautiful stone streets and elegant buildings, interspersed with finely carved stone arches that make Arco a real jewel.

There are numerous palaces that dot the city, such as Palazzo Marchetti, a sixteenth-century construction, and Palazzo dei Panni, commissioned by Count Gianbattista d’Arco and subsequently sold by the family and transformed into a wool mill (hence the name).

Yet the real pearl of the city is the Castle of Arco, one of the most renowned and the subject of many pictorial reproductions: among these we can count the painting by Albrecht Dürer, currently exhibited at the Louvre Museum. The building dates back to the twelfth century, and its center of greatest interest are undoubtedly the profane frescoes of the fourteenth century, whose main subject is women engaged in the game of chess.
Currently the Castle, which can be visited all year round, frequently hosts theatrical and musical performances, providing it with an incomparable setting.

The surroundings of the city also offer rock faces for free climbers, where many climbers alternate every year.