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Winter on the Gargano is for those who love discovering traditions and want a quiet place. Spending a week here is an original idea. There is no shortage of things to see and it is possible to do so without the crowds of tourists.
When one thinks of Puglia, the images that immediately come to mind are the sea and the beaches. But in reality the Gargano is much more. As you will discover, there are villages set in the rock like precious stones, unique woods, tractions and stories to learn.
In winter, the spur of Italy turns white, the snow covers the forests and villages, giving an incredible contrast with the sea and high cliffs. Let’s find out together what to do on the Gargano in winter.
If in summer everyone flocks to Vieste and Peschici because they are directly overlooking the sea, winter is perfect for reaching and visiting the perched villages.
First of all Vico del Gargano, whose patron saint is San Valentino. In fact it is nicknamed “the town of love” and is one of the municipalities among “The most beautiful villages in Italy”. Its origin is so ancient that prehistoric settlements have been discovered. The historic center, a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys overlooked by characteristic houses and buildings, bears witness to the conquest of Frederick II. Among these alleys, the suggestive corners for the meeting of lovers are famous, including the well-known “alley of the kiss”. It is a street so narrow to go through that lovers are forced to touch each other in order to pass through it. A large part of the Umbra Forest falls within the territory of Vico del Gargano, a real green lung, in this snowy period of the year.
Another village that deserves to be visited is San Giovanni Rotondo with a splendid view of the Tavoliere delle Puglia and the Gulf of Manfredonia. It is one of the most visited sites in the field of religious tourism because it was here that Padre Pio lived for a long time, whose remains continually attract faithful from all over the world, linked to the cult of the saint with the stigmata. The village of San Giovanni Rotondo is very suggestive even though it is also extremely simple, made up of narrow alleys and alleys, balconies and external stairways, embellished with ornamental plants. The historic center of San Giovanni Rotondo is full of ancient churches, towers, palaces and monuments.
If you organize a winter holiday on the Gargano there are some unmissable events. During the Christmas period Rignano Garganico, a very small village, is transformed into a Bethlehem with its evocative “Living Nativity” thanks to more than one hundred participants who bring the characters to life with the customs and traditions of the time.
In February, Vico Garganico which, as mentioned above, is the town of love, celebrates the “Festa di San Valentino”, the town’s patron saint. The streets are decorated with citrus fruits from the Gargano. Lovers meet at the famous “Vicolo del Bacio” to exchange promises of love.
Finally, in the month of February, the “Carnival of Manfredonia” takes place, which has always attracted the interest of nearby towns for the events and parades of allegorical floats and masked groups. What has made this carnival even more unique for some decades is the “Sfilata delle Meraviglie”, the only one of its kind in Italy, which involves thousands of children from nursery, elementary and middle schools.