Vieste is the most popular holiday destination in Gargano. This town of just over 13,000 inhabitants was visited by 2 million people last summer. Vieste itself is very well-located, but not only based on its consequences.
Below I have gathered 6 reasons why Vieste is experiencing a growing influx of holidaymakers.

Reason number 1 – the beaches in Vieste

The beaches are long, roomy and sandy, which in my opinion is how beaches should be. It is usually windy there, even at 40 degrees you do not feel the heat there.
The beaches have a paid and a public part. Lido is a paid beach, where you can rent a sunbed with umbrella. Usually private/paid beaches provide parking, bars where you can eat and drink; some paid beaches also have campsites.
Spiaggia is a free part of the beach, where you can set up with your own sunbed/towel and umbrella. Place your umbrella firmly in the sand, because in strong winds it will blow away.

The coast with Vieste beaches stretches for several kilometers, even with a large number of beachgoers who do not feel the crowds. This is another plus in my opinion, as I’m not particularly into crowded places.
The Adriatic is a shallow sea, and in Vieste you have to walk a dozen or so meters into the water before it reaches your waist.

That’s why the beaches in Vieste are great for families; children can splash in the water without any problems, and without causing palpitations for parents. And children can dig in the sand and build all kinds of structures.
Due to the constant winds, Vieste is also a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. There you can practice (and learn) windsurfing, kiteboarding, etc.

Reason No. 2 – views

The winding road to Vieste along the coast leads through the mountainous Gargano, so you can admire great landscapes. Near Vieste, there are 2 popular and stunning places for photographers, especially when you see them for the first time. Or rather, three, if you count the recently renovated tower, from which there is a beautiful view of the arch and the sea.

The first of them is the picturesque, naturally formed by water and wind, limestone arch of San Felice. The second ‘photographic’ object is a 25-meter white monolith, called Pizzomuno. It is located on the beach just before entering Vieste and is the symbol of the town.

There is a love legend associated with the monolith. The heroes of the love story are a girl named Cristalda and a boy called Pizzomuno. As always in love stories, the girl is incredibly beautiful, and the boy is handsome, tall and strong. These two love each other very much. Pizzomuno sails out to sea every day and works hard to catch fish. The boy has a group of admirers – mermaids living in the sea. In every legend, mermaids are famous for seducing people of the sea and for their rather nasty character. The sirens in Vieste were no different from other mermaids, so they wanted Pizzomuno for themselves. However, the boy is a tough guy who is resistant to their advances; faithful to his beloved Cristalda, he does not let himself be seduced by the underwater maidens. The angry, humiliated and jealous sirens have had enough of their unsuccessful advances, so they decide to get rid of their rival. When Cristalda is standing on the seashore, they pull her into the sea and drown. They count on Pizzomuno, suffering from pain and despair, to throw himself into their arms. Nothing of the sort happens, Pizomuno turns into a rock, and the water maidens have to find a new object to stalk. According to legend, the lovers meet every 100 years to spend one night together.

On the way to Vieste you can see a trabuccho (trabucchi plural).

These are old wooden fishing machines with long arms supporting the net. Local artists and craftsmen have taken to trabucchi as a subject for their work. As a result, miniature fishing machines can be purchased in souvenir shops. Trabucchi are also a must-have decoration in almost every fish restaurant in Gargano. Today, a small part of these old structures are used for their intended purpose, helping fishermen with their catch. Other trabucchi have been made into stylish restaurants, while some have been abandoned and are falling into disrepair.

 

Reason No. 3 – Vieste is a charming town

There are many cafes, bars, restaurants and a few monuments to see, such as the castle. Unfortunately, only from the outside, because it is used by the Italian Navy and cannot be visited. The old Porta ad Al, which was the main entrance to the city, is right next to the castle.

In the center of Vieste, you can visit the 11th-century Cathedral of St. Maria Assunta.

 

 

In my opinion, the Museo Malacologico is worth a visit, it has a stunning collection of shells and other marine specimens. I spent over 2 hours there, even though the museum is small. I was amazed by the unusual shapes, sizes and colors of the shells. The only jarring thing about the museum is the shop selling dead starfish, seahorses and dried fish. I understand that the museum is trying to make money, but selling dead sea creatures as souvenirs doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. Apart from this one strange thing, in my opinion, this tiny museum has assembled a really great exhibition. For lovers of the sea and oceans, the opportunity to see such unusual exhibits will be a treat. Actually, you don’t have to love the sea to feast your eyes on the unique colours and shapes of the shells displayed there.

Since the museum doesn’t have a website; or rather, there is something there, you can check the opening hours on Google.

 

Reason No. 4 – the Old Town of Vieste.

Beautifully situated on a white slate rock overlooking the sea, the old town of Vieste dates back to the Middle Ages. This part of the city with its irregular, narrow streets and terraced houses with small balconies connected by small arches is absolutely charming. It is nice to walk through the old town, sit on a bench in the main square, have a coffee, visit one of the restaurants and soak up the summer atmosphere of the city.

Reason No. 5 – Caves

Boat trips along the coast are a popular tourist attraction. The Gargano coast seen from the sea is remarkable for its caves, which were created by the intensive work of water and wind. There are about 20 of them, discovered in 1954 by two fishermen. For a long time, no one was particularly interested in the caves and only with the influx of tourists did they become one of the main attractions of Vieste.

In the city center you will find tourist agencies offering trips along the coast.

At low tide, you can reach small, still charming caves located near the beaches. You can also reach a small island on Gatarella Beach. From the shore, you can see a rock that supposedly looks like a cat (does it look like one? Not really, to me) and an islet. At low tide, the water recedes enough that you can reach it by swimming about shoulder-deep (I’m 166cm tall). While I was busy exploring the interior of the islet, I missed the tide and swam back to the beach. The same applies to exploring the caves, as I mentioned earlier. There are several caves on Gatarella Beach (I reached two of them) accessible by wading through the sea when the water is low. But I wouldn’t venture out without a kayak/boat.

Reason no. 6 – Foresta Umbra

One of my favorite places in Gargano. It is a forest with shamelessly tall, lush green trees in spring and summer. Umbra means “shady” and this is the right name for this forest, considering its dense vegetation; in summer you can hide there from the summer heat. In autumn and winter the forest is colorful: some trees are still green, winter plants are blooming, families of strange fungus show their colors and shapes. Foresta Umbra is perfect for a short or long walk, cycling, jogging, or just a picnic by the lake. It can get crowded there at weekends , because I am not the only one who likes this place. Wild animals live in Foresta Umbra. You can feed deer and roe deer there, and you can also, if you are lucky, meet wild cats. foxes, badgers and dormice.

Vieste is definitely my number 1 for beaches in Gargano, but not only for that reason. I simply like this in summer lively town. Out of season Vieste is rather sleepy, but that’s the problem with most summer places. That’s why when we went there one time in May, everything was closed. We wandered around the town hoping to find something open where we could have lunch. Finally we found the only restaurant open, Molo54, in the port. Hungry, we devoured a tasty lunch, finished with a fancy dessert. Remember that if you want visit Vieste out of season.