The retreat is hosted in an incredible place called Mandrea, a locality of Arco which is a town close to Lake Garda, Northern Italy.
SCIENCE:
‘Lake Garda is the largest and grandest in Italy. Its wider part to the south, is surrounded by morainic hills that were left following the glacier recession, while the narrow northern part (where Mandrea Festival takes place) is enclosed by the mountains that create its fjord-shape and provide the very mild Mediterranean climate.’
POETRY:
The luminous environment, temperate climate, and flourishing vegetation – mainly olive and lemon groves, palms, cypresses, oleanders and orange trees – along with the majestic landscapes are the background to the remarkable historical and cultural remains spread all around and make this lake the most charming in Italy.
ARCO:
Arco is the Festival hometown. It is faced on one side by sheer limestone cliffs jutting up like a wall protecting it and its ancient hilltop castle. Together with the lake, one of the characteristic elements of the Garda Trentino landscape is the rock of Arco, dominating the plain of the River Sarca at the point where it widens. Three paths lead to the castle, which was the residence of the Arco Counts in the Middle Ages; they all leave the village and wind through the olive groves in the hills to reach the castle in a few minutes.
RIVA DEL GARDA:
Believe it or not, Nietzsche used to come on holiday here in Riva del Garda. Today, travellers can explore mediaeval fortresses and the town’s historic centre. Or, just relax on the beach and swim in the lake.
LAKE TENNO:
With its characteristic rounded shape, Lake Tenno a biotope and is ideal for bathing. The lake and its island are surrounded by woods, creating a wonderfully romantic landscape. Its rounded shape was the result of a landslide, which took place around the year 1100. The Lake also features an island. This is known as the “Isola dell’86” and got its name from the year it first came to light.
