In this article, I will take you to a lesser-known vacation region in Italy. On the Gargano peninsula in Apulia, an absolutely fantastic dream coast awaits you with small bays and white limestone rock formations that direct the sunlight onto the turquoise-blue water. In the dense umbra forests of the Gargano National Park, you will find untouched nature.
Then there are the many picturesque coastal villages connected by mountain roads dotted with viewpoints and wide sandy beaches where you can enjoy the dolce vita of the Italian south. So, adjust your sunglasses and come with us to the best Gargano sights.
If you look at the layout of Italy, the Gargano peninsula, which is also Italy’s largest national park, could be the spur at the heel of the boot. The region belongs to Apulia and stretches about 65 km into the Adriatic Sea. The Gargano is a mountain range that reaches up to 1056 meters high. The landscape is therefore a clear contrast to the rest of the rather flat Puglia region, but still offers everything you could imagine of a great Italian vacation: picturesque coastal towns, wide sandy beaches and Italian culture and history.
Nevertheless, many visitors to Puglia tend to skip this region, which is around 2 hours’ drive north-east of Bari, and prefer to visit the places further south that are more advertised on social media. And this is precisely the reason why you should add Gargano to your Puglia travel list. Because there are fewer tourists here and you can still find one or two places full of untouched nature.
How long to stay in Gargano?
Most people reading this article will try to include the Gargano region in their tour of Puglia. In my opinion, you should plan at least 3 nights. If you want to go on longer hiking tours, then I would also add an extra day.
In my opinion, the detour to the north is not worth it for just 1 day. You have to bear in mind that the roads in this region are very winding and some places are not so easy to reach. You need longer to get from A to B here.
In 3-4 days you can visit the most important sights and places of the Gargano and still have enough time to spend a few relaxing hours on the breathtaking beaches.
Accommodation in Gargano
You will find lots of great accommodation, especially in the larger towns of the Gargano. You can either choose your accommodation and then go on day trips by rental car from there, or you can stay in one place for just 1 or 2 nights and then change depending on your mood.
I myself opted for the first option and chose a really great hotel, which was also the best hotel on my entire trip to Puglia. The Hotel Torre Santamaria Resort is located near Mattinata in the middle of the region’s olive groves.
What I particularly liked were the residential units surrounded by a really beautiful garden. In addition to olives, pomegranates, limes and many other fragrant and colorful plants grow here. The rooms are very spacious, there is also a pool, the beach is only 8 minutes away from the hotel and I found the breakfast with local delicacies to be the best of all my Puglia accommodations.
From the hotel, it is also possible to reach the surrounding coasts and towns by rental car. It is about a 1.5-hour drive from the hotel to Vieste.
If you come to the Gargano mainly for the forests of the national park and for hiking, then the newly renovated 4-star Hotel Elda in the center of the national park is certainly a very good option.
1. Mattinata
Mattinata is an idyllic little town on the hillside above the olive groves with a magnificent view of the coast. The town is also known asthe“town of wild orchids” because there is a great variety of wild orchids in the region. You can see them blooming everywhere, especially between April and May.
2. Baia delle Zagare
This bay, also known as Baia de Mergoli, with its striking rock formations, is probably one of the most breathtaking natural beauties of the Gargano. At the bay, the rocks rise up out of the shimmering turquoise-blue sea and offer a truly impressive backdrop alongside the gleaming white cliffs.
There is a wonderful beach here with fine pebbles, but most of it is the private beach of the two hotels Baia dei Faraglioni Beach Resort and Hotel Baia delle Zagare. As a day guest, however, you can also spend time on the beach for a very high fee.
In my opinion, it is better to enjoy the beautiful beach from a distance. There are great viewpoints along the way where you can take in all the beauty of this coastline.
3. Spiaggia di Vignanotica
Vignanotica beach is just a few minutes’ drive from Baia della Zagare. It is very popular for swimming and you can also lie on the beach here without paying a daily fee. Some of the parking spaces near the beach do cost a little, but there are also free parking spaces about a 10-minute walk away. The cost of parking always depends somewhat on the season.
4. The path of love (Mergoli-Vignanotica nature trail)
Between the Baia delle Zagare and the Spiaggia di Vignanotica there is a really great hiking trail, which is probably one of the most beautiful in the entire Gargano due to its view of the two bays. The path itself is only 6 km long and you can walk it in an hour (it’s a little longer there and back).
Along the way, you can smell the lush pine trees and wild rosemary that grows in the region. A little further up, you can always look out over olive groves to the shimmering turquoise coast and the vastness of the Adriatic Sea.
Matthias
You have 2 options for starting the route.
- You can either find a space in the parking lot at the western end of the path (marked here on Google Maps). However, there is only space for 4 or 5 cars here and they are usually full early on.
- Or you can park your car at Lido Vignanotica and set off from here. There are several parking lots with plenty of space at Lido Vignanotica. The parking lot closer to the beach costs around €10 per day. However, there is also a larger parking lot right at the entrance to the village. Although this is a 5-minute walk away, it was free of charge, at least during my visit.
5. Grotta dei Due Occhi
The Grotta dei Due Occhi is a fantastic, somewhat hidden natural highlight in Gargano. The name roughly translates as “the cave of two eyes”, which probably comes from the two holes in the ceiling of the grotto.
However, the best way to explore the grotto is from the water. The easiest way to do this is on a boat tour, during which you can also experience many other highlights along the coast, such as the Baia delle Zagare. Most providers of such tours operate from Vieste:
- South coast boat tour and sea caves in Vieste (3 hours)
- Boat tour on the Gargano coast (for groups, 4 hours)
- Boat trip on the south coast with swimming stop (3.5 hours)
6. Architiello of San Felice
The Architiello of San Felice is a natural rock arch and one of the most beautiful coastal cliffs on the Gargano peninsula.
The best view of the natural rock bridge is probably from the Torre di San Felice. There is also a parking lot there with enough space for several cars.
7. Monolite pizzomunno
Just before Vieste, this 25-metre-high, somewhat obscure limestone monolith rises into the air at the northern end of the long Spiaggia di Castello beach.
You could be forgiven for thinking that this solitary, lighthouse-like rock watches over the coast and the town of Vieste. I thought it was great to just wander around the limestone pillar on the beach and take photos.
8. Vieste
Vieste was one of my favorite towns in all of Puglia. It is simply one of those typical Italian coastal towns where you can simply enjoy the dolce vita and stroll for hours through the winding alleyways of the old town, which is situated on a peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic Sea. From the higher parts of the old town, you always have a great view of the Faro di Vieste lighthouse.
In the old town, you can visit the romantic Scalinata dell’Amore di Vieste, the Chiesa Rettoria di San Francesco at the end of the peninsula or the Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta. Along the Via Ripe you have the best view in the direction of the church.
I found one of the most beautiful views at a small, inconspicuous spot at the end of Via Enrico Bacco. From there, you can watch the last rays of sun touch the horizon and bathe the beach and its landmark, the imposing Pizzomunno monolith, in a golden light.
In the evening, the square at the marina between the cinema and the tourist information office is very lively and offers a great view of the lighthouse and the illuminated coastal walls.
You can easily spend 3-4 hours in Vieste. Vieste is also ideal as a stopover for overnight stays or as a starting point for exploring the entire Gargano region.
There are also some popular hotels here that are suitable for overnight stays, such as the small, family-run Hotel Seggio, which is located on a cliff right in the old town and also offers a private beach.
9. Spiaggia dei Colombi
At Spiaggia dei Colombi you can spend a very special beach day, as this beach is located right next to a large cave.
You can only reach the beach via the smaller neighboring beach by walking through the knee-deep water past the rocks. There is less water at low tide and the transition is easier.
A stairway leads down to the beaches from a parking lot on the road. There is also a beautiful hiking trail along the coast that takes you to many other small bays and beaches.
10. Peschici
Peschici is another small coastal town in Gargano with a picturesque view of the sea and whitewashed houses that line the narrow streets of the old town.
The town is best known for the Norman castle at the top of the old town and its fishing with the trabucchi in the region.
11. The Trabucchi
A small architectural feature of the Gargano coast are the so-called trabucchi (singular: trabucco). These are wooden structures that stand on stilts above the water and use a large net to catch fish.
The trabucchi are still used for fishing on a small scale today, but some of them have been converted into restaurants or cafés. In some you can even do yoga sessions to the sound of the sea.
It feels like there is one of these historic fishing devices somewhere on almost every bend in the coast. That’s why you won’t manage to visit them all. Here is a small selection:
You can visit Trabucco Baia San Lorenzo relatively easily after a short walk from the street. Yoga sessions are also offered here in summer. You also have the Spiaggia di dietro San Lorenzo right next to it, a small but lovely beach for relaxing and swimming.
The Trabucco di Scialmarino is easy to reach and right next to it you have the Al Tramonto, a lovely restaurant where you can enjoy the coast from the sun deck.
Al Trabucco da Mimì near Peschici is a popular fish restaurant where you can enjoy a fantastic sunset.
12. The umbra forest
The ancient trees of the Umbra forest grow in the middle of the Gargano peninsula. This is home to a variety of plant and animal species and there are numerous hiking trails. The small Laghetto d’Umbra lake, which you can walk around, is a great stop. There is also a wild animal enclosure next to the lake and you can stop off at a small trattoria on the opposite side of the road.
Near the lake, you will find the Umbra Forest Visitor Center, which also houses a small museum. There you can get information about the hiking routes in the region.
The Umbra Forest is famous for its ancient beech forests, which have even been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
13. Monte Sant’Angelo
The village of Monte Sant’Angelo is located at the very top of the Gargano mountains and has a special religious and cultural significance. Even the approach is spectacular, leading you upwards along winding serpentine roads whose bends get longer and longer.
But once you reach the top, the view over the entire Adriatic coast will leave you speechless. The best view is from the walls of the Castello di Monte Sant’Angelo. Admission costs just 2 euros and you can also visit many of the rooms inside the castle.
You should definitely visit the pilgrimage church of St. Michael the Archangel in Monte Sant’Angelo, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The church was founded in the 5th century and parts of it lie underground. Entry is free of charge. You first walk down a staircase here, where you can then visit 2 chapels in grottos. There is also a museum complex (Tecum) where you can learn a lot about the history of the place. However, you must book a visit to the museum in advance via the website.
14. The Tremiti Islands
The 5 islands of the Trimiti archipelago off the coast of the peninsula are not quite so easy to reach. You will probably only be able to visit the islands if you have extra time. The trip alone to reach the islands takes just under 2 hours (each way).
Unspoiled nature and beautiful sandy beaches await you here. There are ferries from Vieste, Peschici and Rodi Garganico to the main island of San Domino. You can also book day trips or boat trips:
- Vieste – Tremiti Islands: private tour by dinghy (for groups)
- San Domino, Tremiti: try diving, first diving experience
- 2 days in Vieste: transfer to the Tremiti Islands & cave tour
15. Lago di Varano and Lago di Lesina
Ornithologists in particular will love these two saltwater lakes in the north of the Gargano. These waters, surrounded by reed beds, are home to numerous bird species.
As you can see, the Gargano peninsula is definitely worth a visit. Which places in the national park are still missing from this article? Let us know in the comments!
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