The Dürer Promenade in Arco
Hiking trail • Garda Trentino and Valle di Ledro
The Dürer Promenade in Arco
<p>A walk from the centre of Arco to Varignano, in the footsteps of the painter Albrecht Dürer who at the end of the 15th century was inspired by these places to paint the castle and town.</p>
<p>This itinerary follows in the footsteps of the Nuremburg artist Albrecht Dürer through the olive groves of Arco to the point where he painted his famous view of the town, immortalising the castle surrounded by the medieval village and olive groves.</p> <p>Dürer visited this town on Lake Garda on the way back from his first Italian journey (1494), which he embarked on in order to get to see the artistic innovations introduced during the Renaissance. His destination was Venice and he probably moved around from there to other towns in northern Italy where he could examine the works of masters of the period such as Mantegna, Carpaccio and the brothers Giovanni and Gentile Bellini.</p> <p>The path is accompanied by some of the writings of Italian authors of the period (Nicolò d’Arco, Jacopo Vargnano), which give us an idea of the amazement felt by a traveller from the North looking for the first time on a country with a Mediterranean atmosphere and landscape.</p>
recommended route
The Dürer Promenade of Arco
Garda Trentino Verified partner
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The Castle of Arco in the work Albrecht Dürers (1495)Photo: Staff Outdoor GardaTrentino MM, Garda Trentino
A walk from the center of Arco to Varignano, following in the footsteps of the painter Albrecht Dürer who, inspired by these places, painted the castle and the village at the end of the 15th century.
This itinerary follows the hypothetical route taken in 1495 by the Nuremberg painter Albrecht Dürer through the olive groves of Arco toward the places from which he painted his famous view of the town, which captures the castle surrounded by the village and olive trees. The watercolor "Venediger Klausen," now exhibited at the Louvre in Paris, captures with almost photographic quality the rocks of the cliff, the fortified village, and the silvery color of the olive leaves. The staging is, however, strongly idealized, compressing on a single canvas landscape elements and views that are quite distant from each other.
Dürer visited the town of Garda on his first trip to Italy (1494), which he undertook to closely learn about the artistic innovations introduced during the Renaissance. His destination was Venice, and from there he probably moved on to other centers in northern Italy, where he had the chance to observe works by the masters of the time, including Mantegna, Carpaccio, and the brothers Giovanni and Gentile Bellini.
The path is accompanied by some texts of Italian writers of the time (Nicolò d’Arco, Jacopo Vargnano), which evoke the amazement with which the northern traveler observed for the first time a country with a Mediterranean landscape and atmosphere.
Author’s recommendation
Curiosity: In the shape of the painted cliff, you can recognize the profile of a human face. Can you spot it?
The view of Arco Castle appears in Dürer’s watercolor "Venediger Klausen," now kept at the Louvre. This "portrait" captures the rock of the cliff, the fortified town, and the silvery tone of the olive foliage with almost photographic detail. The composition is, however, idealized and brings together on a single canvas landscape elements and views that are actually quite distant from one another.
Garda Trentino Verified partner
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Safety information
The emergency phone number is 112.
The information contained in this sheet is subject to unavoidable changes; no indication therefore has absolute value. It is not possible to entirely avoid inaccuracies or errors, considering the rapidity of environmental or weather changes that may occur. In this regard, we disclaim any responsibility for changes experienced by the user. It is advisable, however, to verify, before undertaking a hike, the status of the places and environmental or weather conditions.
Tips and suggestions
You chose the perfect itinerary for your legs, now it’s time to tackle it at your best. Discover the trekking specialists: guides, companions, and local shops who can give you valuable tips and the right support for every step.Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
The main centers of Garda Trentino - Riva del Garda, Arco, Torbole sul Garda, Nago - are connected by several urban and suburban bus lines, allowing access points to the routes to be reached.
Riva del Garda and Torbole sul Garda are also reachable by public navigation service.
Updated information on schedules and routes.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
Highway A22, exit: Rovereto Sud - Lake Garda. Then follow SS240 towards Arco.
Discover how to reach Garda Trentino.
Parking
Parking at Caneve (5 minutes on foot from the center).
Paid parking: Foro Boario, at the Bridge (Via Caproni Maini), and near the post office (Via Monache).
Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
TREKKING map Garda Trentino - For sale at the Garda Trentino info points (Riva del Garda, Arco, Torbole sul Garda, Ledro, Comano Terme)
Equipment
This excursion is quite simple and does not present particular difficulties. However, we recommend wearing suitable footwear and bringing a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses. Don’t forget water.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
