Rilke Promenade

From piazza San Giuseppe, the main entrance to the centre of Arco, take Vicolo delle Ere and begin the uphill climb to the castle promontory, passing by vegetable gardens and olive trees. In about twenty minutes you will come to Arco Castle, the unmistakable symbol of the Garda Trentino for over a thousand years (optional visit duration: about 1 hour); now head downhill through the olive grove towards Santa Maria del Laghel which takes  you along the historic Stations of the Cross. At the crossroads at the Parco Arciducale, turn onto via Lomego. At the end of this road, at the carriage turning point (“svolta delle carrozze”) above the hamlet of Chiarano, follow the road down into the town. From the church of S. Antonio, take the path going up to the ancient pillar Capitello della Regola, and keep going straight until you reach the “mills” above the hamlet of Vigne. After the brook turn left and go down into the village. From here you can go back to Arco on foot along via dei Capitelli or you can take the bus from the bus stop near the church of S. Marcello in Chiarano. 

This excursion is quite simple and presents no particular difficulty. However, we still recommend you to wear suitable footwear, a hat, sun screen and sunglasses. And be sure to bring water!

The telephone number for the emergency services is 112. 

The information on this chart is subject to inevitable variations, so this means that none of the indications are absolute. It is not entirely possible to avoid giving inexact or imprecise information, given how quickly environmental and weather conditions can change. For this reason we decline any responsibility for changes which the user may encounter. In any case, the hiker is advised to check the conditions of the places, environment and weather before setting out.

Find out how to reach Garda Trentino. 

The main towns in Garda Trentino - Riva del Garda, Arco, Torbole sul Garda, Nago – are connected by several urban and intercity bus lines which will take you to the starting point of tours or in the immediate surroundings.

You can also get to Riva del Garda and Torbole sul Garda by the public ferry service.

Up-to-date information on timetables and routes.

Parking in Caneve (5 minutes walk to the town centre).

Paid parking: Foro Boario, near the bridge (Via Caproni Maini) or the post office (Via Monache).

At the end of the walk, be sure to stop off in one of the bars around the Collegiata to sit and watch the comings and goings in the town centre.

Rainer Maria Rilke (Prague 1875 – Montreux 1926) was an Austrian writer, poet and playwright of Bohemian birth. He is considered one of the most important poets of the 20th century in the German language.

One of the places which made a particular impression on him is the Eremo di San Paolo hermitage, situated on the little road leading from Prabi to Ceniga. The Hermitage, even though it is included in the classic itinerary of the "Rilke Promenade", is quite far from the other stages on the trail and so we recommend visiting it separately or as part of the itinerary “Treasures of Sacred Art in Arco”. For information about the opening hours of the Eremo di San Paolo hermitage: www.gardatrentino.it