Already the famous painter Albrecht Dürer painted this castle when he was on his trip through Italy - it’s the symbol of Arco, north of Lake Garda
Image gallery: Hike to the Castle of Arco
Our walk starts in the centre of Arco late in the morning. At the park “Giardini di Arco” we follow the Viale Magnolie until the Via Porta Scaria which we walk up and reach the Via Fossa Grande. Like this we arrive at the archducal park "Arboreto di Arco", the first stop of our expedition. Palm trees, lemon trees, cedars, bamboo and agaves line the small park which was donated by the Archduke Albrecht of Habsburg in 1872. A warm and southern atmosphere invites us to take a rest.
Our next stop is the castle ruin. We follow the marker "Castello" between the houses and walk uphill through an olive grove. An amazing view until the Lago di Garda rewards us. We reach the meadow with the cypresses, here also a small café is located. At the tower "Torre Grande" we pay the entrance fee and enter the castle. Ancient cisterns and rooms can be discovered. Info panels explain the history of the castle whose origin probably goes back to the 6th century. Also guided tours are offered.
Through ancient walls the path winds up to the upper tower "Torre Renghera" where we enjoy the wonderful view on the lake, the Monte Stivo in the east which is still covered with snow and the Paganella in the north.
For our way back we take the path which is located directly above the old town of Arco and offers again a beautiful view, this time on the historic centre. Through the pedestrian area of Arco which is lined with wonderful buildings from different epochs we come back to our starting point.
Please note: the ideal season for this walk is spring and autumn - avoid to walk on hot summer days!
Author: AT
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- Starting point:
- Arco (Giardini di Arco, city centre)
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- Time required:
- 01:40 h
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- Track length:
- 4,1 km
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- Altitude:
- from 90 m to 239 m
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- Altitude difference:
- +311 m | -311 m
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- Signposts:
- Viale Magnolie, Arboreto di Arco, Castello di Arco, Arco
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- Destination:
- Castello di Arco
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Hike to the Castle of Arco
If you want to do this hike, we suggest you to check the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before setting out.
