Gargano is the Apulian area which has the greatest variety of contrasts and the most varied landscapes: from the plains of the Tavoliere, warm golden expanses of wheat, to the green, steep and shadowy mountains of Daunia; from the Umbra Forest which filters the sunbeams to produce an almost magical effect, to the dazzling beaches of Gargano; from its ancient villages to its castles, cathedrals, folklore and the sweet tranquillity of the ancient churches.
Gargano is on a three-sided headland and seems to topple down the hillside in its loneliness. It could be thought of as an island surrounded by the ocean, with vast expanses of wheat and waves of corn losing themselves in the Adriatic Sea.
Gargano in particular is a place for the soul as well as a holiday paradise. Here you can really taste the atmosphere of ancient times and see the long lost origins of the world.
Nature is so wild here that it has remained unspoilt. Everywhere you can find an isolated beach, a stony cave, a tree reaching up to the dizzy heights above, a ray of light, an almost mystical sanctuary, a saint's statue, that all seems to wait especially for you.

A LANDSCAPE OF PARADISE
The Greek hero Diomedes referred to it as "the land of happiness" when he was shipwrecked here after a great storm whilst returning from the Trojan War. In the charming peace of the Tremiti islands it is as if the birds of the night eternally grieve for him.
Here the landscape seems to be touched by the very hand of God.
You can find Mattinata with its bays, an expanse of sand that alternates between the peaceful sea and mellow caves stretching right up to Mattinatella itself. Here also can be found the sweet Baia delle Zingare ("Bay of the Gipsies"), Vignanotica with its exciting succession of beauty to fantasy, the thrill which increases the wonder of the visitor on seeing the boats that are kept by the sailors in the coves dug out by the waves.
There are stacks and stately rocks which stand to attention like sentinels, bays, the everlasting sunlight all along the coast to Vieste - everything is here that we believed had ceased to exist.
The stony giant of Pizzomunno (meaning "the head of the world") which every year seems to resemble more and more a man forever in search of Criselda, the daughter of the gods.
Here begins an exhausting pursuit of breathtaking scenery which seems like an almost dreamlike coastline embroidered with unsurpassed shapes, a mixture of colours, silences, reflections and striking arches dazzled by the same light that shines throughout the land - this is Peschici.
This village seems to be almost like a crib that rises above the cliff tops like a cloud.
Further on we find Rodi, the "garden town", famous for its scented oranges and lemons. You can seek the shelter of a pine tree on one of the wildest coasts of the world. Here the sharply carved rock with the gaping sky above, like a wide open mouth, is like a moment of creation.
Let us follow the road until we come on to the inland town of Vico and the Umbra Forest, which could be mistaken for an area of northern Europe.
Here the foliage has an exciting and almost biblical greatness, with immense chimneys of trees, the green walls brightened by rays of light. It is a forest that has survived from the Great Flood with its herd of roe deer, direct descendents from Noah's Ark along with the tawny owl with its melodious cry.


THE TIBET OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
Gargano is the heart of the holy path of pilgrims forever searching for their inner soul. Here are the paths to salvation that have been followed for centuries. Here are the paths to salvation that have been followed for centuries. Here is the sanctuary of Archangel Michael at Monte Sant'Angelo, a unique place with a saint who is more a warrior of faith than a Christian comforter.
Those who need to find their soul go to San Marco in Lamis, as did the crusaders before going onto their adventures in the Holy Land. Nowadays millions of people take their hopes to the tomb of Padre Pio at San Giovanni Rotondo, where the friar offers relief from suffering. Millions of pilgrims still come here to be perpetually charmed.
This is the Gargano of miracles, which surpasses the Gargano of the senses.
Gargano, also renowned for its archaeology, shows signs of a past human civilisation; from the perfectly formed flint weapons to the hunting tools and instruments that were used in everyday life. Gradually prehistoric man is emerging as if to relate to us his story of the Grotta Paglicci where he sought shelter. This is the most important place in Europe for observing the climate, vegetation, fauna and way of life of 11.500 to 25.000 years ago. At Grotta Scaloria, prehistoric man made a shrine to the underground waters and at Coppa Navigata he created highly decorated tombs representing the Iliad before Homer's rendition. They are now held in the museums of Manfredonia.
Before one follows those straight streets and the big white villages, there are the mountains of Daunia, an unexpected place: it is the only place of Apulia that doesn't overlook the sea. It has the coldest winters with valleys, waterfalls, green hills, leaves wet from the damp atmospheres, refreshing air and the smells of warm fireplaces.