Garda Trentino is home to celebrated guests. Who? Those who have given eminence, with their culture and personality, to a place that has always symbolized a magical world for the Middle-European aristocracy. Just beyond the Alps, but characterised by typically Mediterrenean perfumes and climate and surrounded by a mountain framework.
At the end of the 18th century, after Goethe had come here in this sun-kissed strip of land for his first time, Garda Trentino became a source of literary and graphical inspiration and many famous people started their tour discovering Italy’s biggest lake and its beauties.
FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT RIVA DEL GARDA THROUGH KAFKA’S LENSES
Have you ever thought about it? A place has a lot to tell you through the pen of those who have lived and loved it before like… Franz Kafka!
The world-famous 20th-century writer came to this strip of Mediterrenean climate twice, and nowadays we have the chance to follow his steps in Garda Trentino together with Professor Farina!
A careful and enthusiast reenactment of the tale “The Hunter Gracchus” following the places he took inspiration from. Thanks to a lively and extremely bright literary recon, Professor Farina, an interested actor of the stories about Riva del Garda and its culture, guided us with Kafka’s eyes, making us recollect the vibes of the beginning of the 20th century thanks to a little 1.5-hour tour… I went on just for you!
The meeting point is in front of the ferry boarding area, and when he arrives, he stands out with all his brilliant character. While walking with his loyal briefcase, he starts telling us about Kafka coming to Riva del Garda, and about how this event was the source of inspiration for “The Hunter Gracchus”, a a character lost between life and death.
The boat carrying him to the afterlife “went off course” and dragged him into a confused trip that seems to take place exactly in Riva del Garda; every single street can be traced in the novel, as Professor explains us with his amazing smile.
We try to provoke him when he shows us a winding alley that was once a brothel, but he smiles saying that Kafka didn’t use to stop here!
With cheerfulness and enthusiasm, Professor Farina takes us to the Belvedere, along the Ponale path. Between a fabulous view and the strong perfume of flowers and brushwood, our minitour comes to an end and you get to exclaim: “Kafka was definitely right, here even the war couldn’t cut into the beauty of these places!”
Anyway, this is only one of the tours suggested by Garda Trentino. You have time until the end of September to trace Goethe, Mann and Rilke’s steps together with Professor Farina. Are you ready for a dive into history?
