Arco State of Mind
Why do I love Arco? My explanations of why I return to this town always sound flat and simplistic and I realise now it is because they have missed the key ingredient. Returning allows me to reconnect with the ‘Arco state of mind’.
You are drawn back by the memories of the beautiful scenery, the sports, and gelato in the main square. But when you get here again you realise that what you really missed, and what was really calling you back, was the state of mind you had when you left. When meditating, most people close their eyes and try to clear their mind. I prefer to close my eyes and remember Arco, tune into the vibe and maintain the Arco state of mind.
Arco is an historic town in northern Italy, wrapped horseshoe shape around an imposing cliff, atop which sits a ruined castle that is over 1,000yrs old.
This was originally a farming community and although the vineyards and orchards surrounding Arco are slowly giving way to industry and urbanisation it is not uncommon to see a tractor trundle through town.
The town sits on the Sarca river, in a beautiful valley carved by glaciers. All glacial valleys offer incredible scenery typified by cliffs and waterfalls, accentuated in this case by a lake filling the southern end of the valley, where the cliffs rise directly from the water.
Arco has history, agriculture and scenery, but more than this, it has a vibe. Stay here for just a day or two, and the vibe will resonate within, and once you leave, you’ll realise Arco was more than just a town, it was a state of mind.
What creates the vibe? It’s the special blend of amiable locals and active ‘sportiv’ visitors. The locals set the rhythm, the visitors create the melody. Why is it different from other tourist towns? The tourists do not come here to posture, or to preen, or to party. The locals admire the sportivs, and the sportivs respect the locals in return.
The daily rhythm of life is set according to the habits of the locals and is not upset by hordes of tourists as it is in other towns. The cafes open early because that’s when the locals need them to open. You want a gelato in the morning – sorry, that’s not when the locals eat it. Two simple examples, I agree, but the point is, this town is not a caricature of itself, it is real. The town does not exist to serve the tourists. This means there is no ‘season’ like in other European towns. The town never shuts down. The rhythm continues throughout the year.
The melody, the colour, is provided by the constant stream of visitors – the ‘sportivs’. There will be a Rock Masters climbing competition one month, World Fly Fishing Championships the next, and between the two, an art exhibition in the local gallery. All are equal in Arco.
People come here to be active; rockclimbing, road cycling, trail running, mountain biking, walking, via ferrata, BASE jumping, wind surfing, kayaking, parapenting - all are possible. You can walk down the main street with your climbing harness on and rope slung over your shoulder and no one will give you a second glance. You are at home here. This is not a place to ‘recharge your batteries’: your batteries need to be fully charged when you arrive to power you through the inevitable activities.
The main square is the stage for the rhythm section and the melody players to combine and produce the distinctive vibe. Sit here in the afternoon eating gelato after a day of climbing, either on the church steps, or leaning against the fountain, and watch the square fill, empty and then refill again as the ‘sportivs’ return from their activities and either join you with gelato, or enjoy a beer in the café. The racks at the café stacked full with bikes of all descriptions; the bench seat under the arches full by now with the same old men who sat there yesterday; the children out from school playing in the square. What makes this town special is that here, the two worlds mingle, not collide.
In the old part of town, with it’s narrow cobble-stone streets, cars have right of way, cyclists have right of way, pedestrians have right of way, parents pushing prams have right of way, old people stopping to greet each other have right of way. No one has priority, everyone finds a way to go about what they are doing without interrupting or imposing on anyone else.
This is the Arco state of mind.
