Italy Review
  • Home
    • Contact
    • Ischia Review
    • Sorrento Review
  • Things to see in Italy
    • Cities of Italy >
      • Major Cities of Italy >
        • Rome
        • Venice
        • Florence
        • Milan
        • Naples
        • Turin
        • Verona
        • Genoa
        • Bologna
        • Palermo
      • Beautiful Italian Cities >
        • Pisa
        • Siena
        • Ravenna
        • Lecce
        • Mantova
        • Syracuse
        • Perugia
        • Pavia
        • Lucca
    • Towns and Villages of Italy >
      • Seaside Towns of Italy >
        • Sestri Levante
        • Vieste
        • Positano
        • Tropea
        • Sorrento
        • Cefalu
        • Amalfi
        • Polignano a Mare
      • Lakeside Towns of Italy >
        • Varenna
        • Orta San Giulio
        • Bellagio
        • Sirmione
        • Molveno
        • Trevignano Romano
        • Desenzano del Garda
      • Scenic Towns of Italy >
        • Alberobello
        • Bassano del Grappa
        • Sarzana
        • Susa
        • Brisighella
        • Grottammare
      • Hilltop Villages of Italy >
        • Castelluccio
        • Civita di Bagnoregio
        • Roccascalegna
        • Apricale
        • Muro Lucano
      • Historic Towns of Italy >
        • Matera
        • Albenga
        • Chioggia
        • Assisi
      • Hill Towns of Italy >
        • San Gimignano
        • Taormina
        • Ravello
      • Picturesque Villages of Italy >
        • Finalborgo
        • Rasiglia
      • Mountain Towns of Italy >
        • Bressanone
      • Vineyard Towns of Italy >
        • Barolo
      • Fishing Villages of Italy
      • Mural Towns of Italy
      • Spa Towns of Italy
      • Ghost Towns of Italy
    • Italian Islands >
      • Phlegraean Islands
      • Capri
      • Tuscan Archipelago
      • Sicilian Islands >
        • Aeolian Islands
        • Aegadian Islands
        • Pelagie Islands
      • Sardinian Islands >
        • La Maddalena Archipelago
      • Pontine Islands
      • Tremiti Islands
      • Venetian Lagoon Islands
      • Borromean Islands
      • Lake Trasimeno Islands
      • Isola San Giulio
      • Monte Isola
      • Palmaria
    • Lakes of Italy >
      • Lake Garda
      • Lake Como
      • Lake Maggiore
      • Lake Trasimeno
      • Lake Bracciano
      • Lake Orta
      • Lake Tenno
    • Landmarks of Italy >
      • Man-Made Landmarks of Italy >
        • Castles of Italy
        • Squares of Italy
        • Roman Monuments in Italy
        • Towers of Italy
        • Bridges of Italy
        • Modern Landmarks of Italy
        • Monuments of Magna Graecia
      • Natural Landmarks of Italy >
        • Rivers of Italy >
          • River Po
          • River Adige
          • River Tiber
          • River Arno
        • Mountains of Italy
        • Mountain Ranges of Italy >
          • The Italian Alps
          • The Apennines
          • The Dolomites
    • Religious Buildings of Italy >
      • Cathedrals of Italy
      • Basilicas of Italy
      • Abbeys & Monasteries of Italy
      • Baptisteries of Italy
      • Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
      • Religious Sanctuaries of Italy
      • Chapels of Italy
    • Cultural Institutions of Italy >
      • Archaeological Sites of Italy
      • Gardens of Italy
      • Museums of Italy
      • Palaces of Italy
      • Art Galleries of Italy
      • Theatres of Italy
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy
    • Italian Beaches >
      • Best Beaches in Italy
      • Beach Resorts of Italy
    • Parks of Italy >
      • National Parks of Italy
      • Nature Reserves of Italy
      • Regional Parks of Italy
      • Italian City Parks
    • Ski Resorts of Italy
    • Italian Coastal Areas
    • Mountain and Valley Regions of Italy
    • Wine Regions of Italy
  • Travel
    • Airports of Italy
    • Italian Ferry Ports
  • Italy Hotels
  • Italy
    • Regions of Italy >
      • Northern Italy >
        • Lombardy
        • Emilia Romagna
        • Piedmont
        • Veneto
        • Liguria
        • Friuli Venezia Giulia
        • Trentino Alto Adige
        • Valle d'Aosta
      • Central Italy >
        • Tuscany
        • Lazio
        • Marche
        • Abruzzo
        • Umbria
        • Molise
      • Southern Italy >
        • Puglia
        • Campania
        • Calabria
        • Basilicata
      • Island Regions >
        • Sicily
        • Sardinia

Vieste

Vieste​


​Taking pride of place on the eastern shore of the Gargano Peninsula, the town of Vieste offers a winning combination of beaches, history and stunning good looks. 

The town is bursting with character and nowhere more so than on the little promontory where the Chiesa di San Francesco stands guard against whatever may have come from the sea throughout its history. ​The promontory of Punta San Francesco marks the tail-end of Vieste's Centro Storico (old town), a cluster of white-washed buildings full of intrigue and narrow passageways.
It is within this part of town that you'll get the picture postcard views of the promontory with various viewpoints from which you can take photos.

Almost hidden within this tight knot of alleyways lies the town's Cathedral which dates back to the 11th century and would have been present during one of the town's darkest episodes some 400 years later. In 1554, Saracen pirates sacked the town and executed 5,000 of Vieste's residents on a plinth now known as the Chianca Amara, the "Bitter Stone" which can still be seen to this day and acts as a gruesome reminder of the past. 

​In modern times, Vieste is a thriving seaside resort with large stretches of golden sandy beach either side of the promontory. To the south of Punta San Francesco lies a huge white rock known as Pizzomunno and this marks the northern end of the long stretch of beach known as Spiaggia del Castello. This is the biggest beach in Vieste and continues for three kilometres along which there are dozens of beach clubs, restaurants and hotels. When you reach the southern end of the beach the main coastal road climbs south and if you turn around and look back here you'll get one of the best views of the town. 

​To the north of Punta San Francesco lies the more modern part of town which has its own charms. This is one of the most pleasant parts of the Vieste to walk around with plenty of shops and places to eat or drink available, particularly so in Marina Piccola with its palm-tree-lined seafront. Either cut across or make your away around the headland to the north of Marina Piccola and you'll find Vieste's port area. 

The port is mainly occupied by small, private boats in an attractive marina but you can also take a number of boat trips from here. The most popular is the ferry across to the Tremiti Islands which are around two hours away. You can incidentally, find the Tremiti Islands Ferry Timetables here. Other popular excursions include tours of the Gargano Peninsula's grottoes where you'll also find a mixture of clear azure water with a backdrop of white rocks and cliffs. 

​Beyond the port area to the north west lies the Spiaggia di San Lorenzo; this is another large stretch of beautiful sand with further accommodation and dining options in abundance. Continue north from Spiaggia di San Lorenzo and you will find more beaches that gradually become less busy the further out of town you reach. 

Although some bus options are available, by far the best way to explore the surrounding area is by car. Head north of Vieste and you soon come to a smaller town called Peschici while further west is the slightly larger resort of Rodi Garganico. Both towns offer good options for a day trip to the beach without having to travel too far; Rodi Garganico for example is around 50 minutes away while Peschici is just half an hour. Some of the scenery and beaches you pass along the way make it a worthwhile venture.

Take the coast road south of Vieste and the scenery is arguably even more captivating. Here you'll find some of the best Gargano Beaches including Baia delle Zagare, Vignanotica and Mattinata to name just a few. One of the most visited towns on the peninsula is Monte Sant'Angelo; a hill town with a very different feel to the coastal towns. Standing at an elevation of around 800 metres you'll find the air a good deal cooler here while the town's big draw is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed sanctuary.

Category: Seaside Towns of Italy

Region: Puglia

Regional district: Foggia Province

Population: 13,907

Highlights: Beaches, old town

Recommended stay: Hotel Boutique Il Castellino Relais

Close by: Gargano National Park, Monte Sant'Angelo, Foggia 


Picture
Picture

​All photos and images on the site that are marked with the © copyright symbol or with the Italy Review series logos are the property of Italy Review and must not be used elsewhere without prior permission. All written content on the website is also the property of Italy Review and its use is strictly limited to this website alone. 
  • Home
    • Contact
    • Ischia Review
    • Sorrento Review
  • Things to see in Italy
    • Cities of Italy >
      • Major Cities of Italy >
        • Rome
        • Venice
        • Florence
        • Milan
        • Naples
        • Turin
        • Verona
        • Genoa
        • Bologna
        • Palermo
      • Beautiful Italian Cities >
        • Pisa
        • Siena
        • Ravenna
        • Lecce
        • Mantova
        • Syracuse
        • Perugia
        • Pavia
        • Lucca
    • Towns and Villages of Italy >
      • Seaside Towns of Italy >
        • Sestri Levante
        • Vieste
        • Positano
        • Tropea
        • Sorrento
        • Cefalu
        • Amalfi
        • Polignano a Mare
      • Lakeside Towns of Italy >
        • Varenna
        • Orta San Giulio
        • Bellagio
        • Sirmione
        • Molveno
        • Trevignano Romano
        • Desenzano del Garda
      • Scenic Towns of Italy >
        • Alberobello
        • Bassano del Grappa
        • Sarzana
        • Susa
        • Brisighella
        • Grottammare
      • Hilltop Villages of Italy >
        • Castelluccio
        • Civita di Bagnoregio
        • Roccascalegna
        • Apricale
        • Muro Lucano
      • Historic Towns of Italy >
        • Matera
        • Albenga
        • Chioggia
        • Assisi
      • Hill Towns of Italy >
        • San Gimignano
        • Taormina
        • Ravello
      • Picturesque Villages of Italy >
        • Finalborgo
        • Rasiglia
      • Mountain Towns of Italy >
        • Bressanone
      • Vineyard Towns of Italy >
        • Barolo
      • Fishing Villages of Italy
      • Mural Towns of Italy
      • Spa Towns of Italy
      • Ghost Towns of Italy
    • Italian Islands >
      • Phlegraean Islands
      • Capri
      • Tuscan Archipelago
      • Sicilian Islands >
        • Aeolian Islands
        • Aegadian Islands
        • Pelagie Islands
      • Sardinian Islands >
        • La Maddalena Archipelago
      • Pontine Islands
      • Tremiti Islands
      • Venetian Lagoon Islands
      • Borromean Islands
      • Lake Trasimeno Islands
      • Isola San Giulio
      • Monte Isola
      • Palmaria
    • Lakes of Italy >
      • Lake Garda
      • Lake Como
      • Lake Maggiore
      • Lake Trasimeno
      • Lake Bracciano
      • Lake Orta
      • Lake Tenno
    • Landmarks of Italy >
      • Man-Made Landmarks of Italy >
        • Castles of Italy
        • Squares of Italy
        • Roman Monuments in Italy
        • Towers of Italy
        • Bridges of Italy
        • Modern Landmarks of Italy
        • Monuments of Magna Graecia
      • Natural Landmarks of Italy >
        • Rivers of Italy >
          • River Po
          • River Adige
          • River Tiber
          • River Arno
        • Mountains of Italy
        • Mountain Ranges of Italy >
          • The Italian Alps
          • The Apennines
          • The Dolomites
    • Religious Buildings of Italy >
      • Cathedrals of Italy
      • Basilicas of Italy
      • Abbeys & Monasteries of Italy
      • Baptisteries of Italy
      • Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
      • Religious Sanctuaries of Italy
      • Chapels of Italy
    • Cultural Institutions of Italy >
      • Archaeological Sites of Italy
      • Gardens of Italy
      • Museums of Italy
      • Palaces of Italy
      • Art Galleries of Italy
      • Theatres of Italy
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy
    • Italian Beaches >
      • Best Beaches in Italy
      • Beach Resorts of Italy
    • Parks of Italy >
      • National Parks of Italy
      • Nature Reserves of Italy
      • Regional Parks of Italy
      • Italian City Parks
    • Ski Resorts of Italy
    • Italian Coastal Areas
    • Mountain and Valley Regions of Italy
    • Wine Regions of Italy
  • Travel
    • Airports of Italy
    • Italian Ferry Ports
  • Italy Hotels
  • Italy
    • Regions of Italy >
      • Northern Italy >
        • Lombardy
        • Emilia Romagna
        • Piedmont
        • Veneto
        • Liguria
        • Friuli Venezia Giulia
        • Trentino Alto Adige
        • Valle d'Aosta
      • Central Italy >
        • Tuscany
        • Lazio
        • Marche
        • Abruzzo
        • Umbria
        • Molise
      • Southern Italy >
        • Puglia
        • Campania
        • Calabria
        • Basilicata
      • Island Regions >
        • Sicily
        • Sardinia