Day 09 10-09-2013 Tue Vieste

The hostess at the cavern restaurant the previous evening had recommended the hill town of Monte Sant’angelo in the Gargano as a must-see destination. I asked our host Enzo for a map which he readily supplied, and indicated the route that we should take. 

We happily set off looking for the road he had indicated and promptly got lost, or so we thought. We stopped at an intersection to consult the signs, when who should pull over in her car but our hostess Giovanna. She soon had us travelling in the correct direction. This was a pleasant gentle round up into the Foresta Umbra – the dark forest. We stopped at the top as directed by Enzo to admire the well-fed tame deer immediately on the other side of the fence. You could still see the velvet clinging to the horns.

From here it was a gentle descent into a narrow valley>on the other side was wide flat flank of the hill on which Monte Sant’angelo is situated. The ascent to this town was a breeze on the long straight switchback sections – a real delight to drive.

Monte Sant’angelo is an old town centred around a fortress started in the 9^th centry and improved over the following several centuries by various other occupiers of the seat (see plaque). We started in the church near the castle. It is remarkable for being built on a number of levels in the side of the hill. At the bottom in the grotto is a chapel of shorts with icons etc. No photo allowed here – same old story.

We ambled up and down streets in the town. The roofs are notable for the fact that the tiles are help down by means of large stones all over the surface. Presumably this is to keep the tiles from flying away in strong winds which it’s easy to believe would occur here. We noticed it was getting close to afternoon closing time so started a desperate search for sustenance. We were pleased to be able to be served salami pannini in a tiny bar.

Next stop was the castle/fortress, where we had to wait for it to re-open after lunch. This siesta is getting on my nerves. The castle, large re-constructed I would say, was only moderately interesting but afforded good view of the valley.

Our host Enzo had also suggested a nearby Romanesque church at Santa Maria di Pulsano. The road there meandered gentle down the flank on the other side of Monte Sant’angelo, a very pleasant drive with spectacular views to the coast. After a while we started to get worried about the distance and not seeing any structures, when we came to a gate across the road. One of us was intent on turning back but others read the signs that indicated one should push a button. We were relieved that this did indeed open the sliding gate. The complex is nestled into the side of a hill, also with good views to the coast. We found the church which was half built into a hillside with a large overhanging rock making up part of the ceiling. It was completely silent inside, possible the quietest place I have ever been. Not a soul was stirring – we were there alone.

We returned to Monte Sant’angelo and then descended the coast. Enzo had strongly recommended we take the coast road back. Normally good advice, as it is very scenic, but the day was ebbing away and the road consisted of  myriad of twists and turns – one rarely got over 40 Km/h. My three passengers all became silent after a while.

It’s been a really worthwhile day – the Gargano has a lot to offer. We’d like to have stayed considerably longer.