What to do and see in Arco, Trentino-Alto Adige: The Best Free Things to do

It is located on the road from Prabi to Ceniga and is a magnificent example of sacred art with enchanting frescoes both on the inside and outside. It is one of the most ancient monuments in Arco: the consecration of the high altar was first mentioned in 1186. The construction is very simple. It is built in a niche under an overhanging rock that serves as a wall and partly as the vault of the church, which consists of only one main room and one adjacent room for the hermits. Only the hall of the church is frescoed with images of the Last Supper and the stories of San Paolo’s life. The outside of the Retreat is always accessible; the inside is generally closed. The Retreat is opened for guided visits in the Spring and Autumn.

The Arboretum of Arco is a strip of the archducal park created in 1872 by Archduke Alberto of Habsburg, Emperor Francesco Giuseppe’s cousin, near the archducal villa, when Arco was the winter residence of the Imperial Austrian Court. The Arboreto, whose vegetation, originating from various continents has been thriving due to the mild climate of Arco, still holds some species planted by the Archduke, like the majestic holm-oaks and the great conifers, the Lawson cypress and the huge sequoia.

A jewel of sacral art in the territory. It is located on the road to Prabi, in via Legionari Cecoslovacchi. It was first mentioned at the beginning of the XIV century, as local documents show. Very precious are the series of frescos, both under the external arcade and on the inside of the church. They are dating back, even if they aren’t coeval and those on the outside overlapping, to the early XIV century. The church underwent various events. In the XVIII century the church was left in charge of the hermits, but little by little it was abandoned; in 1882 it was restored and the beautiful frescos, covered with layers of lime, came to light; during the First World War the church was damaged, still visible on the outside, and then it was closed for a long time. The latest restoration, in 1983, brought it back to the present condition. The church is open during the summer months.

It is located on the “Piazza Tre Novembre”, in the centre of Arco and its imposing structure dominates the whole of the old town centre. It is without any doubt one of the most beautiful and interesting monuments of the city, apart from being a meeting point for the inhabitants. It was built from the beginning of the 17th century onward, and houses numerous works of value, deserving a closer look: altars, altar-pieces and decorations. The church can be visited during the day time and there are regularly Masses and ceremonies.

Today a convention and events centre, this was originally a meeting place for the mid-19th century nobility of Central Europe, who had chosen Arco as their winter spa resort. Many notables who visited these gaming rooms and the town. One of the most famous is the Empress Elisabetta, or “Sissi”, who may have been in Arco in 1889 on the occasion of a trip to the southern shores of Lake Garda. The splendid veranda, added in 1900 together with the great ballroom, overlooks the health promenade and the bandstand. The globe and wind column were used to inform guests about the weather conditions.