The ultimate city guide to Vieste, Italy
The promontory of Vieste stretches towards the Adriatic and acts as a watershed between the north and south of the Gargano, and it is a natural spectacle to look out over the peninsula with the houses that rise above the limestone stratifications, with the castle and the lighthouse that dominate the scene with the blue of the sea often quilted by the sails of boats and windsurfing boards.
To the north, there are the beaches, namely that of S. Lorenzo, about 2 km long, that of Punta Lunga with its 800 m of fine sands and the long beach of Scialmarino that winds for more than 4 km, up to to the two shores of Sfinale and Sfinalicchio which stretch for a total of almost 2 km.
Towards the south, the coast has other beautiful beaches such as that of the Castle (4 km) and the shorter but no less spectacular beach of Porto Nuovo (2.5 km), overlooked by two characteristic limestone islets, stratified.
Continuing further south, the large beaches give way to rocky coves, and among these the small Bay of S. Felice, set between two bumps sprinkled with thick and noble pine forest, is one of the most suggestive to point out the promontory of the Architiello, a ridge of pierced rock, placed at the entrance to the bay as if to create a kind of triumphal arch. Legend has it that it was built by the sea nymphs and the Tritons in honor of Neptune, king of the sea, but in reality, it is the action of the wind and the sea that have eroded the rock in such a spectacular way.
Further south we find the gravelly shores of Campi and Pugnochiuso, which are also truly spectacular.
The Pizzomunno
The natural emblem of the city, however, is the Pizzomunno, a limestone stack that dominates the beach of the Castle and which is immortalized in the photographs of all tourists. It is also linked to the legend of Cristalda in love with this boy (Pizzumunno) and their impossible love. It is the nature of the limestone rock, compact but at the same time friable that creates these sculptures, and also sea caves that dot the rocky portions of the coast. Among the various excursions proposed we point out those that lead to the Grotta Smeralda, that of the Two Eyes, of the Sirens and the Warm Grotto (of the Violets).
In the area, the suggestive Trabucchi, wooden platforms of ancient tradition used by the locals for fishing, are worth mentioning. At sunset or dawn, with the colors of the twilight, it takes on an ancient and particular charm.
How to get to Vieste
To reach Vieste, from the north, follow the A-14 Bologna-Taranto with the exit at Poggio Imperiale. And from here you follow the coastal road that leads to Vieste in about 90 km. If you come from the south (Bari or Naples) then it is better to exit at Candela (from here about 130 km) or in Foggia which is about 100 km from Vieste, equal to about 1 hour and a half journey. By train, the closest station is Peschici, from here you need to use the bus. By plane, the nearest airport is Bari, alternatively, you can fly to Pescara, which however is over 200 km away from Vieste.
Climate and when to go
The best time to visit Vieste is the hot and long summer of the Gargano, which generally extends from the end of May until the end of September. Temperatures are high in July and August, but the breezes in the afternoon give respite to the heat, and there is always the possibility to “escape” in the cool of the woods and the Umbra Forest. The rains are rare in summer, but the peaks of the Gargano can create short thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon and in the evening.
