4 good reasons to visit the Gargano
Who knows why, but when we talk about vacations in Puglia the first places that come to mind are always Salento, Polignano a Mare, Bari… Phew!
They are wonderful places, for goodness sake, but u Gargàn ‘ndo ü vulêim mett?
Sorry, when we get nervous we start speaking in dialect.
For our friends from other regions we just wrote: but where do we want to put Gargano?
Controversy aside, today we decided to share with you 4 good reasons why you should visit us.
Actually they would be many more, however Vincenzo asked us to be concise so here we are.
Get comfortable and eventually, if you like, let us know what you think!
[Small spoiler: our favorite is the last one!]
- The Gargano National Park
- The beaches of the Gargano
- Vieste
- Peschici mon amour
The Gargano National Park
Let’s start with the basics.
The Gargano National Park is a territory of 18 municipalities in the province of Foggia characterized by incredible biodiversity and a very particular land conformity: karstification, typical of this area, gives rise to sea caves, land cavities and numerous dolines, those closed basins created by the collapse of underground caves.
Here there are extraordinary places such as the Umbra Forest, the Tremiti Islands, Vieste e Peschici.
Ma anche luoghi di culto religiosi come San Giovanni Rotondo (Does Padre Pio ring a bell?).
There is lots and lots of sea but also several brackish waters, such as the Lakes of Varano and of Lesina.
Beaches of Gargano
Whether we like it or not, those who come to Apulia do so predominantly because they want to see a beautiful sea.
So here is our selection of the most beautiful beaches in Gargano.
3,2,1 go!
First beach to mention (and absolutely to visit): Manaccora beach, one of the most frequented by those staying in Peschici.
It is set in a breathtaking natural setting and is not far from the trabucchi. We continue by winking at our younger friends: Zaiana is a regular stop for those who like to have a good time.
The high rocks are perfect if you like to dive from above and in the evening, well, all party!
Let’s move to the parts of Vieste: Bay of Fields is perfect for those who love diving.
In fact, here it is possible to admire the wreck of an ancient Roman ship from about 2,000 years ago.
What can I say, not to be missed!
Penultimate beach on the list: Porto Greco.
Lontana dal turismo di massa – i nostri amici introversi apprezzeranno – è caratterizzata da ciottoli e da un’acqua incredibilmente trasparente.
Mooooolto bella.
Last but not least, the beach of Pizzomunno.
È sicuramente uno dei luoghi dove vale la pena andare a scattare un paio di foto (ti dispiace se usiamo la parola Instagrammable?).
By way of background-we are here on purpose after all-the Pizzomunno, from which this beach derives its name, is a 26-meter-high limestone outcrop placed in the middle of the beach.
We are very close to Vieste, and here you can choose to opt for the public beach or an equipped lido.
In August you might find it a little too crowded, but it’s nice, trust me!
Vieste
Trabucchi, narrow alleys, windows adorned with rolled out cloths, oregano and chili peppers, and many, many c’lustr (traditional Viestan sweets made with honey and almonds, ed.).
It is the easternmost municipality in the province of Foggia and the Gargano promontory as well as the perfect starting point for your Gargano vacation.
In reality, it is much more than that.
There is a magical, at times nostalgic atmosphere here: the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo, the Swabian Castle overlooking the sea, the old town, Marina Piccola, the Pizzomunno, and you name it.
There would be more to tell about Vieste, but we will talk about it another time, because it is time to close our list of 4 reasons why you should visit the Gargano.
Peschici Mon Amour
Peschici, along with Vieste, is one of the best-known resorts on the Gargano.
The two are only 20 km apart, and here, too, there is an atmosphere that smells of Puglia, the Mediterranean and tradition.
Small white lime cottages overlooking the sea, old ladies leaning out of their windows looking at you curiously and suspiciously – but only because they would like to know all about you and your family – and craft stores selling everything, such as the pantry of the Camavitè, where you can find lots of typical products, the same ones Vincenzo uses in his restaurant.
From here you can take the ferry to the Tremiti Islands or take a tour of the caves.
The old town is simply delightful and the Castle overlooking the sea boasts spectacular views of the sea and coastline.
The most interesting thing about this small seaside village, however, is that it is the only place on the Italian coast where you can watch both sunrise and sunset.
Is that enough of a reason for you to visit us?
We could go on for hours telling you how beautiful the Gargano is.
About how much kitesurfing and trekking you could do.
About how many caves and bays you could visit.
About how beautiful the Tremiti Islands are.
Unfortunately, however, this is only a blog post and not a book.
So, for the time being, you have to make do with this. If, on the other hand, you have already fallen in love and want to find out more about this wonderful land, write to us in DM on Instagram, maybe let’s do part 2, shall we?