National Park of Gargano - Apulia

The Gargano National Park, with its 120,000 hectares of lagoons, mountain, sandy beaches, marine reserves, villages and forests, is one of Italy s most beautiful areas, its natural wealth being enhanced centuries of history. Men, saints and various peoples have left theirvtraces from prehistoric times until the present day, in the many archaeological sites, important places of worship, amongst castle walls and lookout towers, in the many hues of the fields with their various crops.
From the first rudimentary drawings of horses and hands on the walls of the Paglicci Grotto, to the "stele", the tombstones going back to the iron age, some of the most important places of worship in the world, like The Sanctuary of St, Michael Archangel, and the Convent of St, Matthew, or the human and religious route of Padre Pio - everything here tells of a Gargano in which History is deeply rooted in Nature.
The visitor to the Gargano cannot fail to be enchanted by the flavours and original dishes its of this area, and by its ancient crafts. The local cuisine is rich and varied and includes strong flavours such as olive oil and certain cheese, and blander ones, such as soft cheeses, fish, tomatoes and bread. Equally fascinating are the ancient art of stone-workig and the original looms, with ceramics and terracotta worked by .local craftsmen who take real pride in their work.
The king gazing over the sea - On the coast, where there is less greenery, there are the endemic woods of Aleppo pines which, with their pungent, salty scent and green contrast to the glaring white of the coast create an almost unreal, "unworldly" atmosphere. Their "court" is the Mediterranean maquis, with its mastic tree, arbutus, and firillea which tend colour and scent to the sandy coastal areas.
In the greart heart of the Park - The great green heart of the Park is the Umbra Forest. On entering, one has the sensation of crossing the threshold of a temple. As the visitor gets deeper into the forest, the sun's rays filter through the luxuriant vegetation and tree-tops with increasing difficulty. In the heat of mid-sum-mer, it is a real pleasure to be refreshed by the cool silence of the imposing trees. Amid the tree roots, the Gargano orchid may be found. Sixty-one varieties of this beautiful plant have been identified, and their warm hues colour the undergrowth.
Faboulous beasts - Of the many species of fauna to be found in this area, the pride of the Gargano National Park is the Gargano roe. Almost impossible to find in other areas of Italy there are approximately one hundred specimens here. Also to be found are wild cats, colonies of wood-peckers, peregrines, buzzards, kestrels and lanners. An incredible variety of aquatic and pelagic species live in the coastal and lake areas, from Lesina and Varano to the Tremiti islands, from the humid areas of Frattarolo to the Salso Lake. Wild ducks, seagulls, and coots, living amongst the reeds, bamboo canes, tamarisks, pools and stretches of water, are some of the more easily identifiable species. Besides them, the red heron, reedling and tobacco duck build their nests here, and it is easy to see ospreys, wiid geese, shearwaters and peregrines.
Itineraries:
From Foce Schiapparo to Ca' Gravagione - difficulty: on the flat period: all year around time: 3 hours
This itinerary may be followed on foot or on mountain bike and is recommended for birdwatchers. It goes round the lake of Lesina.

In the heart of the Umbra Forest - difficulty: climb of 200 metres period: from april to november time: 4 hours
Departure from the Visitors' Centre of the Umbra Forest, visits to the Natural Reservation of Falascone. The Murgia Caserma,the Grava di Marianna and the little Orti Lake.

From Peschici to the Cugnetto delta Nava - difficulty: climb of 250 metres period: all year around time: 3 hours
This itinerary crosses a wood of Aleppo pines and a beautiful holm oak grove. There are many picnic areas. Walkers will reach the peaks of the Coppa Sartagine and Cugnetto della Nava mounts.

The necropolis of Monte Saraceno - difficulty: climb of 50 metres period: ail year araund time: 1 hour
This itinerary goes to one of the most important necropolis of the Gargano, used by the Dauni from the 8th to the 3rd centuries B.C.. The view of the olive groves between Manfredonia and Mattinata is stupendous.


The Mergoli Vignanotica path - difficulty: climb of 150 metres period: ail year araund time: 2 hours
The inerary leads to the Bay of Seagulls, where one can admire the spectacular white cliffs. The route goes through an Aleppo pine wood over the sea, olive groves, beaches, cliffs and the ruins of the Signal Tower.

 

THE PALEOCHRISTIAN NECROPOLISES OF THE GARGANO

 

Useful numbers
Gargano National Park 71037 Monte Sant'Angeb (Fg) via S.Antonio Abate, 12! tei. Q884.5689Q1 ,fex 0884.561348 e-mali: info@parcogargatio.it
Corpo Forestale dello Stato C.T.A. 71030 Foresta Umbra (Fg) tei. 0884.560967, fax 0884.560940
Official Park Guides Association 71037 Monte Sant'Angelo (Fg) via S.Antonio Abate, 121 tei. 349.8508! 33
LesinaVisitors' Centre 71010 Lesina(Fg) via Banchina Voliaro, 1 tel./fax 0882 992727

Manfredonia Visitors' Centre 7I043 Manfredonia (Fg) S-S.159 defe Saline te!. fax 0884.571009
Monte Sant'Angelo Visitors' Centre 71037 Monte SantAngeb (Fg) piazza San Francesco, I tel, 0884.565444
Services for disabled visitors - Consortium of Social Cooperatives ARENEA 71100 Foggia- via della Repubblica, 82/c tel. 0881.77Q866,fax 0881.753301, N.Verde 800-212266 e-mnii: consor7.ioaranea@libero.it
Osservatorio Naturalistico del Parco 71037 Monte Sant'Angeb (Fg) via S. Antonio Abate, 121 tei. 0884.568941, fax 0884.561348

Crafts and local products
Gargano citrus fruit Consortium (oranges, lemons and marmelbde) via salita La Bella, I - 71018 Vico del Gargano (Fg) tel. 0884.965043
BioGargano Consortium (olio extravergine di oliva, fave, caciocavallo podotico, conserve alimentari) C/o MasseriaAgropobis- 71013 San Giovanni Rototido tei. 0882.457254
Coop. Penelope (woollen and linen blankets and cloth) zona 167, lotto 16 tel. 0884.991020
Coop. Il Telaio (woollen and linen blankets and cloth) via S. Grace, 44 - 71010 Carpino (Fg) - tel. 0884.992239
La Cruedda Association (wheat straw baskets) corso Umberto 1,70 - 710! 0 Ischitella (Fg) - tel. 0884.996164

 

From a biological point of view, the Gargano promontory is actually an island, divided from the peninsula by the Tavoliere delle Puglie. It is rich in karst structures like caves and dolines. While in the past the promontory was entirely covered by forests, now they constitute only the 15 percent of its surface: the most important wood in the Park is the Foresta Umbra.

• Park Authority: Ente Parco Nazionale del Gargano

• Headquarters: Via Sant'Antonio Abate, 121 - 71037 Monte Sant'Angelo (FG)

• Tel: 0884/568911

• Fax: 0884/561348

• E-mail: info@parcogargano.it - ufficiostampa@parcogargano.it

• Area: 121,118 ha

• Province: Foggia

• Established in: 1995

The Gargano National Park was founded in 1995 and covers a total surface area of 121,118 hectares (just under 300,000 acres). It is situated in the province of Foggia and includes most of the Gargano promontory and of the lower lying marshes and flatlands. The institution of the park has lead to the protection of many rare habitats particularly under threat, from the rocky cliffs of the coastline to the dunes which surround the lagoons of Lesina and Varano, and from the wide, hot valleys of the southern slopes, rich in rare and endemic species of plants and animals, to the beech woods which grow at an altitude of just 300 m above sea level.

Localities Apulia (Foggia)

• Apricena

• Cagnano Varano

• Carpino

• Ischitella

• Isole Tremiti

• Lesina

• Manfredonia

• Mattinata

• Monte Sant'Angelo

• Peschici

• Rignano Garganico

• Rodi Garganico

• San Giovanni Rotondo

• San Marco in Lamis

• San Nicandro Garganico

• Serracapriola

• Vico del Gargano

• Vieste

Typical Products

Bread
Pane di Monte Sant’Angelo
Mnte Sant’Angelo Bread
It is probably the most famous kind of bread of the Gargano area: it is characterized by a big size (with a diameter of 30 - 50 cm and a weight of 5, 6 kg) which can found hanging out of the shops in the towns - according to a local tradition.

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Vegetables and Legumes
Carpino Broad Beans
Broad beans (Vicia faba maior) have very important nutritional properties since they contain many proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts, and fibres (in particular in the hull), but they have a low-caloric content, less than one third of the cereals content. The cultivation - very ancient in the Mediterranean area - finds the ideal conditions in the area of Carpino because of the clayey soil, rich in calcium. Here it is possible to sow and to gather the best broad beans of Puglia.

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Salami
"Muscisca"
This word derives from the Arabian word mosammed meaning “hard thing”. It consists of rather lean goat or sheep meat which is boned, salted, and seasoned with chili pepper, wild fennel, and garlic. It is exposed to sunlight or to air for some weeks till it is completely dry.

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Fish
Lesina eel
Lesina Eel
The origins and the life of eels are rather mysterious. Their family tree is not known, and for this reason it is impossible to breed them. They come from the Atlantic, from the Sargasso Sea, where they reproduce at a thousand meters of depth: from here it takes 3 years to return to the Mediterranean Sea. From Acquarotta and Schiapparo channels they reach Lesina lagoon, where they are caught when they are 20, 25 cm long.

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Autochthonous Breeds and Meats
Garganica Goat
It is linked to the Gargano, the territory from which the name derives. The Garganica Goat is particularly rural, perfect to grow free, cropping in the driest pastures. It can be easily recognized because of its black and long, its head is big and squat, it has a tuft on the forehead and a long beard on the chin. Its horns are quite big and form a kind of arch. It is both used for the production of meat and milk.
Podolica Cow
A herd of Podoliche cows grazing in the Gargano area is a show which cannot be forgotten. Their straight silhouette, their glance, their big horns, their gray coat shining in the woods and in the Mediterranean maquis inspire sacred peacefulness.

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Fruits
Gargano citrus fruits
Gargano Citrus Fruits
They are juicy and fragrant citrus fruits ripening all year round. The "arancia Bionda del Gargano" (a kind of orange) ripens in April and May but it remains sweet and juicy on the tree until September. To quote the "Duretta del Gargano", with a hard and crisp pulp. In addition, the "Femminello del Gargano" which is the most ancient kind of lemon in Italy.

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Cheese
Caciocavallo Podolico
"Caciocavallo Podolico"
From the milk of the Podoliche cows it is possible to obtain extraordinary cheese, first of all the "Caciocavallo Podolico", which is produced in small quantities and only in some specific months of the year. It is a noble cheese, which is not used to cook, but only at table. When it is well-seasoned - and it can season even 5 or 6 years - has complex fragrances reminding pastures and spices, and a peerless taste.

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Sweets
"Ostie piene", "farrate" and "poperati"
According to the legend the ostie chjéne (filled hosts) were born probably in the 17th century in the monastery of Clarisses of Monte Sant’Angelo, where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Archangel Michael. Their cover is made with the same ingredients and the same kind of cooking used to cook hosts. Their surface can be decorated with holy images.

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Rice and Pasta
"Orecchiette"
Orecchiette is the most common name for the typical pasta of Puglia. Once it was only home-made pasta with water, salt, and durum wheat bran. Orecchiette are shell-shaped.

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Oil
"Dauna Gargano Dop"
In the Gargano area olives can be found on the northern-eastern slope (Ischitella, Vico del Gragano, Vieste, Cagnano, Varano) and on the western slope (San Giovanni Rotondo, Sannicandro). If the main variety is represented by Ogliarola Garganica, which is produced by huge centuries-old olive trees, the Coratina is always present in the new cultivation, as well as Peranzana and Rotondella.