Things to do in Promontorio Del Gargano
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Pizzomunno
Pizzomunno, the unmistakable white rocky tower jutting out of the sea as you approach Vieste from the south, is a natural landmark with a tale to tell. If legend is to be believed, underneath that hard rocky exterior lies the heart of a romantic.
Pizzomunno, so the story goes, was a humble fisherman in love with the beautiful Cristalda. Jealous sirens, unable to tempt him with their wily charms, dragged Cristalda to the bottom of the sea and turned the heartbroken Pizzomunno into a rock. But the sirens weren't completely wicked. Every 100 years the rock breaks free and the lovers are reunited for one wild night.
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Museo di Arti e Tradizioni
The serpentine alleys and jumbled houses of the medieval quarter, the Rione Junno, are perfect for a little aimless wandering. The cappelletti (chimney stacks) on top of the neat whitewashed houses come in interesting designs and shapes. Models of the cappelletti can be found in the Museo di Arti e Tradizioni, also known as the Museo Tancredi after its founder Giovanni Tancredi.
Located in the former monastery of San Francesco, the museum displays agricultural equipment, handicrafts and artefacts and depictions of daily life in the Gargano, including plenty of photographs of pilgrims.
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Tomba di Rotari
Descend the short flight of steps opposite Santuario di San Michele to the Tomba di Rotari – not a tomb, but a 12th-century baptistry with a deep sunken basin for total immersion. You enter the baptistry through the facade of the Chiesa di San Pietro, with its intricate rose window squirming with serpents – all that remains of the church, destroyed by a 19th-century earthquake. The Romanesque portal of the adjacent 11th-century Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore has some fine bas-reliefs.
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Abbazia di Santa Maria di Pulsano
The isolated Abbazia di Santa Maria di Pulsano, 9km southwest of town, sits on the edge of the vast Pulsano gorge overlooking the bay of Manfredonia. Originally built at the end of the 6th century, it was destroyed in 952 by the Saracens and rebuilt by the Benedictines in 1129. Well-preserved 12th-century Apulian art can be seen in the cave chapel. Look for the hermit cells and caves in the cliff face.
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La Ripa
Near the Chianca Amara, this family-run restaurant in a converted stable has lots of character - and plenty of half-melted candles that would do a goth proud. The meat and vegetables are home-grown and organic (as is the podolico cheese). For a pasta mouthful try the foglie d'ulivo con gamberi, rucola, ricotta e julienne di zucchini (olive-leaf shaped pasta with prawns, zucchini and rocket).
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La Salata
At 9km north of town, off the SP52 towards the Hotel Gabbiano Beach, is a palaeochristian graveyard dating from the 4th to the 6th centuries AD, La Salata. The cave burial chambers are found in marshland close to the sea, in an area dense with typical Mediterranean maquis. Inside the caves tier upon tier of narrow tombs are cut into the rock wall; others form shallow niches in the cave floor.
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Via Carlo Mafrolla
Vieste is primarily a beach resort and has only a few sights of interest located in the winding medieval streets of the historic centre. From the Chiesa di San Francesco (a former monastery, closed for restoration) at the tip of the promontory walk up Via Carlo Mafrolla where boutique craftshops selling ceramics and local handicrafts have replaced hippy market stalls.
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Al Cantinone
Run by a charming Italian-Spanish couple who have a passion for cooking; the food is exceptional and exquisitely presented. Try the asparagus risotto or penne with fave beans, potatoes and pecorino cheese. Out of the approximate 100 restaurants in town, this is one of the 15 or so that stays open all year – hooray!
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Marine Caves
You can cave-hop on a two-hour boat trip to the Gargano's fabulous marine caves. Tickets are available at the port kiosks. The boats follow the craggy coastline south to Mattinata so you can scope out the Gargano's best beaches. Before booking consider the environmental impact of fast boats and splashback on the fragile limestone caves.
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Al Dragone
Colourful palaeolithic pieces from local artist, Circiello add a distinctly stone-age touch to this intimate cave restaurant. The chef uses local seasonal products with an innovative twist. A recommended dish is orecchiette con cime di rape e acciughe rosse washed down with a bottle of Puglian wine.
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L’Incontro
A funky bar whose name, The Encounter promises a fun night out or at least an interesting time puzzling over the symbolic artwork and stitched-iron plates in the back room. Has a legendary aperitivo - after 11:00 a complimentary plate of homemade hors d'oeuvres is served with your drink.
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Al Duomo
Tucked away in a narrow alley in the heart of the old town, this restaurant has a cosy cave interior and outdoor seating under a shady arbour. Home-made pastas with seafood sauces feature prominently. Try the cavatelli con ceci polipetti e rughetta (pasta with chickpeas, octopus and rocket).
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Pelikano
Opening directly onto Vieste's main beach, this restaurant is beach-chic at its best. Cane chairs, wooden tables and palm trees on the beachfront gives a Polynesian feel but the cuisine is typical Pugliese with fresh seafood and homemade pasta dishes. Also has an extensive pizza menu.
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Santuario di San Michele
Look out for 17th-century pilgrims’ graffiti as you descend the steps to the Santuario di San Michele. St Michael is said to have left a footprint in stone inside the grotto, so it became customary for pilgrims to carve outlines of their feet and hands.
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Medioevo
An elegant restaurant with a matching menu focusing on locally grown ingredients. House specialties include home-made pasta orecchiette medioevo (orecchiette with rucola, pecorino cheese and lamb ragu) and pancotto with cabbage, potatoes and fava beans.
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Gusto
For a quick bite to eat this handy bar in a converted rock stable is close to the Santuario di San Michele. After all that religious fervour relax with a glass of wine and a platter of mixed local cheese at the tables and chairs in the piazza out front.
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Odori Sapori
Buy the local speciality here: ostieripiene (or ‘stuffed Hosts’) – wafers resembling the Hosts used at Mass, filled with caramelised almonds. Ask for a taste of the delicious local liquor, Amaro O Limon made with olives and lemons.
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Osteria degli Angeli
Tucked away on an arched alley, is this friendly restaurant, offering great cooking in a stone-vaulted interior. Try the troccoli dell’angeli (pasta with prawns) or parmigiana di melanzane (baked aubergine with mozzarella).
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Southern Beaches
There's plenty of sun and sand for beach worshippers. The best beaches, such as Baia di San Felice and Baia di Campi, are south of Vieste. The beaches are lined with lidos where you can hire umbrellas, sun-beds, canoes and pedalos.
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Box 19
You might feel like a fish in a tank dining in a box on the street but Box 19 is renowned for its excellent seafood. Tuck into a plate of linguine all'astice (linguine with lobster) while the crowds surge around you.
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Enoteca Vesta
Housed in a cool, vaulted cave, you can savour a magnificent selection of Puglian wines here to accompany innovative dishes like fried stuffed anchovies with cheese and eggs and baked grey mullet with wild fennel.
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Gelateria Sottozero
Dawdle over a coffee or prosecco while checking out the chic-elite in town but don't leave without indulging in the best ice cream in Vieste. For a rich, fat, chocolate fix drown in the amarena.
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Gargano Bike Holidays
Gargano Bike Holidays specialise in cultural and scenic mountain-bike tours, exploring the Gargano on half-day to weekly trips. The itineraries are graded from easy to difficult and the guides are multilingual.
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Museum and Nature Centre
There is a small centro visitatori (visitors centre) in the middle of Foresta Umbra that houses a museum and nature centre with fossils, photographs and stuffed animals and birds.
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I Templari
A pizzeria/restaurant/music bar in a prime position overlooking the bay of Manfredonia. On a clear day you can see along the coast all the way to Bari. In summer the bar has live music nearly every night.
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