The Gargano Peninsula
A forested peninsula surrounded by sparkling waters, white limestone cliffs and pretty fishing villages, criss-crossed by ancient pilgrim trails, Gargano is a perfect place to go hiking.
The Gargano is a forested peninsula in the north of Puglia. The ‘spur’ on the boot of Italy, it is an expansive promontory covered by one of Italy’s oldest national parks. It is surrounded by sparkling waters, white limestone cliffs and pretty fishing villages. With its strategic position, Gargano has a rich history. It has been inhabited since Neolithic times and has towns that were founded by the ancient Greeks and Romans but its glory days were under Norman rule during the Crusades when the sanctuary of Monte San Michele became one of the most important pilgrim destinations in the Middle Ages.
The tour starts with a transfer from the nearby town of Foggia, which is connected to Rome by regular trains. You’ll be met here and driven up to a small town perched on the western end of the Gargano peninsula. The first three walks follow the route of a Medieval pilgrim trail, the Sacred Lombard Trail with wide views south over the Adriatic coast, staying in two very buzzy and interesting pilgrim towns along the way.
The next two walks skirt around the edge of the Foresta Umbra, an ancient beech forest the Trail of the Pilgrims of St Michael. The last walk is a spectacular descent down to the sea, finishing at the dramatically located town of Vieste, where you’ll spend the final two days. Day 7 includes a morning tour in a private boat exploring the bays and grottoes of some of the most beautiful natural coastline in southern Italy.
Why choose this walk?
- This is a real ‘walkers’ walk: long ambles through farmlands, forest and olive groves, which finish with a beach walk into one of the prettiest coastal towns in southern Italy
- Private transfer from Foggia railway station on Day 1 and back there on Day 8
- Little visited by foreign tourists, the Gargano Peninsula is far from the madding crowds
- You can breathe in the history and antiquity of the trails and towns you visit
- You have two days in gorgeous port of Vieste
- The ‘grand finale’ is a private boat tour of the spectacular coast of the Gargano, with plenty of places to swim
- You have 24-hour phone support from our Florence-based team
- You have use of the exclusive Hidden Italy app and walking notes
The walks
This is a Grade 3 walk. The walks are long, contemplative rambles through beautiful countryside and forests. They cover a range of terrain, following marked trails. The itinerary mostly follows unsealed country lanes. There are some sections of asphalt going into and out of the towns. Day 3 is a 23 km, which can be shortened by 8 kms with notice. Full details on each walk are on the itinerary. Click here.
The self-guided itineraries are rewalked and the notes updated each year.
The accommodation
The accommodation is a mix of well-located hotels. On Days 1, 2 and 3 you stay in excellent 4-star hotels (each with a swimming pool); on Days 4 and 5 you stay in two very comfortable, family-run ‘agriturismos’ while, for your last two nights in Vieste, Days 6 and 7, you stay in a very comfortable hotel in the centre of this buzzing coastal town.
The food and wine
Pugliese cuisine is simple, rustic and cheerful, based on the abundance of its fertile plains and coast line. As Italy's wheat belt, pasta and a variety of excellent breads are pillars of Pugliese diet, as is olive oil (Puglia has over 50 million olive trees, some over 2000 years old). Although wine-making in Puglia stretches back to the ancient Greeks, for a long time Puglia was a source of robust red wine sent north to cut the pallid wines of Tuscany and Piedmont. In recent times the industry has been revolutionised and Puglia now produces some excellent reds (Primitivo and Negroamaro), whites (Fiano and Vermentino) and some very good roses. You’ll experience the whole range of Puglia's offerings on this walk.
Generous breakfasts are included each day. Given the relative 'isolation' of the small villages and 'agriturismo' you stay on during this wonderful walk, we have included the dinners as well on this tour.
Support on the walk
To guide you through this wonderful walk, you will receive: the Hidden Italy roadbook (an eighty-page A5 booklet that includes comprehensive daily walking notes accompanied by detailed maps, updated and revised each year); access to the exclusive Hidden Italy App to complement the roadbook (the App is downloadable to Apple and Android devices and features information about the routes: maps, GPS tracks, altimetric profiles, etc; GPS navigation on all the routes; an alert function if you stray off the track; and an emergency function); twenty-four-hour phone support from our Florence-based Operations Manager.
Booking conditions
To confirm the booking, a deposit of 25% of the total booking cost is required within 7 days of the issue of the invoice. Please note that in the event of customer cancellation, deposits are refunded, less a cancellation fee of $500 per person per tour. Click here for full T&C’s
Interested in the 3. Southern Italy: Puglia 1, exploring the Gargano Peninsula Self-Guided Walk?
Don't miss out, places are limited. Make your booking now. Book Now › Make an Enquiry ›This 8 day/7 night walk can be personalised to meet your interests and travel dates.
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Cost
$3,100
per person
- Pick up at the beginning and drop-off at the end at Foggia railway station
- Seven nights’ accommodation
- All breakfasts and dinners included
- Reading lists and historical and cultural notes
- Maps and detailed walking instructions
- Hidden Italy App with GPS to complement the roadbook
- Daily transfers of baggage between hotels
- 24-hour backup from local manager
- City taxes are not included in the cost of the tour
Cost Options
$3100 per person (breakfast + dinners included)
Single supplement - $900
** Please note a high season surcharge may apply.
Tour costs quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD)
Map
Testimonials
“We are back in Australia after our fabulous walk in Puglia. We really enjoyed it - so many wonderful memories. We just loved walking through peoples’ farms, the livestock & the coastline is just majestic.” CB + RLB
3. Southern Italy: Puglia 1, exploring the Gargano Peninsula FAQs
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