Holidays in Vieste for the locals feels pretty natural – but not only for them. This town with just over 13,000 inhabitants was visited by 2 million people last summer. Vieste itself is very picturesque and full of character—but that’s not the only reason people keep coming back.

Here are 6 reasons why speanding your summer time in Vieste is a great idea.

Reason no. 1 for holidays in Vieste  –  beaches.

The beaches are long and sandy, which is exactly how I think beaches should be. In addition, it’s usually windy there, so even at 40 degrees the heat feels bearable.

The beaches have a paid and a public part.

• Lido is a paid beach, where you can rent a sunbed and an umbrella. Usually, private/paid beaches are also organized enough to offer parking, bars, where you can eat and drink something; some paid beaches also have campsites.

• Spiaggia is a free part of the beach, where you can spread out with your own sunbed/towel and umbrella. Remember to plant your umbrella firmly in the sand the wind can send it flying away!

The coast with Vieste beaches stretches for several kilometers, so even with a large number of beachgoers you don’t feel crowded. And this is another advantage, as I don’t like crowded places. The Adriatic is shallow and you have to walk a dozen meters into the water to dive in. That’s why holidays in Vieste are especially safe for families with children; they can splash in the water without causing their parents palpitations. And the kids will be happy digging in the yellow sand, building all kinds of structures.

Because of the constant winds, days off are a cool option for water sports enthusiasts. You can practice (and learn) windsurfing, kiteboarding, etc.

Reason No. 2 – views that stays with you.

The winding road to Vieste stretching along the coast leads through the mountainous Gargano, so we can admire great landscapes. Near Vieste, there are 2 popular and picturesque places for photographers, especially when you see them for the first time. Or rather, three, if you count the recently renovated tower, from which there is a beautiful view of the arch and the sea. You’ll start your holidays in Vieste with open mouth:)

The first of them is the limestone arch of San Felice, naturally formed by water and wind.

The second ‘photographic’ object is a 25-meter white monolith, called Pizzomuno. It’s located on the beach just before entering Vieste and is the symbol of the town. There’s  a love legend associated with the monolith.

The heroes of the love story are a girl named Cristalda and a boy called Pizzomuno. As always in such stories, the girl is incredibly beautiful, and the boy is handsome, tall and strong. These two love each other very much.

Pizzomuno every day works at sea fishing. He has admirers – sirens. In every legend, sirens have rather nasty characters and they seduce fishermen/sailors. The sirens in Vieste are the same, so they want Pizzomuno for themselves. Unsuccessfully; he’s is faithful to his beloved. The humiliated and jealous underwater girls decide to get rid of their rival. When Cristalda stands on the shore, they pull her into the water and drown her. They believe that Pizzomuno, looking for solace, will throw himself into their arms. Nothing of the sort happens, Pizomuno turns into a rock, and the sirens have to find a new object to stalk.

Legend says the lovers reunite for one night every 100 years. Whether you believe in legends or not, the rock itself is striking and worth seeing.

On the way to Vieste you can see a trabucco (trabucchi plural).

Reason No. 3 – A town full of small surprises.

Vieste is not only about the sea—it’s also a lively town with cafés, restaurants, and a few interesting sights.

You can admire the castle (only from outside, since it belongs to the Italian Navy), pass through the old Porta ad Alt, or step into the 11th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.

One of my favorite discoveries was the Museo Malacologico, a tiny shell museum with a stunning collection of shells and other marine specimens. I spent over 2 hours there, even though the museum is small. I was amazed by the unusual shapes, sizes and colors of the shells.

The only thing that felt odd was the gift shop, which sells dried starfish and seahorses. It didn’t sit right with me. But the exhibition itself is absolutely worth a visit, whether or not you’re a sea lover. Apart from this one strange thing in my opinion, this tiny museum has gathered a really great exhibition. For lovers of the sea and oceans, the opportunity to see such unusual exhibits will be a treat. Actually, you don’t have to love the sea to feast your eyes on the unique colors and shapes of the shells displayed there.

Since the museum doesn’t have a website; or rather, there is something there, you can check the opening hours on Google.

Reason No. 4 – The Old Town

Perched on white cliffs above the sea, Vieste’s old town dates back to the Middle Ages. Its narrow alleys, small arches, and terraced houses with tiny balconies make it a lovely place for a slow walk.

I enjoyed wandering through the streets, sitting for coffee in the main square, and just soaking up the summer atmosphere. It’s not the kind of old town full of “must-sees,” but that’s part of the charm—it invites you to take your time.

Reason No. 5 – The caves

Boat trips along the coast are a popular tourist attraction when you spend the summer time in the town. The Gargano coast seen from the sea is remarkable for its caves, which were created by the intensive work of water and wind. There are about 20 of them, discovered in 1954 by two fishermen. For a long time, no one was particularly interested in the caves and only with the influx of tourists they become one of the main attractions of Gargano.

In the city center you will find tourist offices offering trips along the coast.

During low tide you can reach small, still charming caves located near the beaches. You can also reach a small island on Gatarella beach. From the shore you can see a rock that supposedly looks like a cat (does it look like that? not really) and an islet. During low tide the water level drops enough to allow you to walk down to it and the water is about shoulder-deep. (I’m 166 cm tall). While I was busy exploring the interior of the islet, I missed the fact that the tide had started to rise and I had to swam back to the beach. 

It is the same with viewing caves, which I mentioned a bit above. There are several on Gatarella beach (I reached 2 of them) accessible by wading in the sea when the water is low. But I’d rather not go there without a kayak/boat for the rest.

Reason no. 6 – also Foresta Umbra

One of my favorite places in Gargano. It is a forest with shamelessly tall, lush green trees in spring and summer. In autumn and winter the forest is colourful: some trees are still green, winter plants are blooming, families of strange mushrooms show their colours and shapes. You can also hide there from the summer heat. Umbra means ‘shady’ and because of the dense vegetation it is the right name for this forest.

Foresta Umbra is perfect for a short or long walk, cycling, jogging or just a picnic by the lake. On summer Sundays it can be crowded there, because I am not the only one who likes this place. Foresta Umbra is home to wild animals, so with a bit of luck you can see wild cats, foxes, badgers and dormice there. You can also feed deer there. 

Vieste is definitely my number 1 for beaches in Gargano, but not only for that reason. I simply like this lively town in the summer. Out of season Vieste is rather sleepy, but most summer towns have this problem. So when we went there one time in May, everything was closed. We wandered around the city hoping to find something open where we could have lunch. Finally we found the only restaurant open – Molo54 in the port. Hungry, we devoured a tasty lunch finished with a fancy dessert.

Would you spend your summer break in Vieste? Let me know in comments.