Gargano is an imposing promontory located in the province of Foggia; it essentially corresponds to a mountain massif called the "spur of Italy" that extends for 70 km into the Adriatic Sea, and which gives rise to the Gulf of Manfredonia. To the east it reaches as far as the so-called Testa del Gargano, while to the west it joins with the Tavoliere delle Puglie, covering a total surface area of about 2000 kmq. Its territory includes the Gargano National Park.
Gargano, the only mountain entirely in Puglia, was originally an island, then joined to the mainland by a progressive accumulation of alluvial deposits, especially from the Candelaro stream; the northern coastal strip, low and sandy, includes the coastal lake of Varano with the adjacent lake of Lesina.
The massif, essentially made up of limestone rocks, culminating in the 1055 m of Monte Calvo (the name of this mountain is significant, with its bare and stony slopes), has a striking karst morphology, whose most interesting aspects are the numerous caves, inhabited since prehistoric times. In some of them, as well as in rock shelters, artefacts dating back to the Paleolithic have been found; there are also tombs from the Iron Age.
The other mountains are: Lo "Spigno", "Giovannicchio", and "Monte Nero". The most famous caves are those of Paglicci, Montenero and Castellana. But Gargano is also famous for its trabucchi, fishing constructions, created entirely of wood and operated by complex winch systems.
As for the underground geological conformation, the most important site is the Grava di Campolato, where the underground waters of the surrounding mountains and hills collect. It is therefore assumed that there is a dense network of caves crossed by small underground rivers.
The innermost area of the region, covered by thick forests including the Umbra Forest, is sparsely populated; the inhabitants tend to gather in the coastal towns or at the foot of the mountains, also due to the development acquired in recent times by seaside tourism, which has been added to the traditional fishing and especially agricultural activity. A panoramic road runs along almost the entire perimeter of the Gargano, touching many of the main towns, such as San Nicandro Garganico, Carpino, Rodi Garganico, Peschici, Vieste, Mattinata and Manfredonia. Among the towns in the hinterland, we remember Monte Sant'Angelo, San Giovanni Rotondo and San Marco in Lamis: all towns with very popular sanctuaries that attest to how the Gargano has always been, since the Middle Ages, a place of great religious fervor, also because of Padre Pio.
The Gargano is not only sea but also culture and traditions that materialize in suggestive events such as: the "Carnevale Dauno" of Manfredonia with the famous parades of floats and groups; in July the "Vieste Film Fest"; in the second half of July in Monte Sant'Angelo there is Festambientesud, the great festival of Legambiente entitled "Pane, Olio e Meridione"; between the second half of July and the second half of August the Tarantella Fest dedicated to the various forms of tarantellas, instruments and voices of popular tradition; in the first days of August, in Mattinata, there is "La Notte dei Faraglioni", an annual event with national protagonists of the world of entertainment, and the delivery of the "Premio Ambiente Faraglioni di Puglia" to personalities who have distinguished themselves for the protection and safeguard of the environment;.
In the first ten days of August the Carpino Folk Festival attracts thousands of tourists every year in search of their memories; after August 15th "Suoni in Cava" in Apricena, jazz in the suggestive stone quarries; between the end of November and the first days of December, coinciding with the opening of the olive harvest season and the activity of the oil mills, there is the "Festa dell'Olio Nuovo" in Mattinata.
El Gargano es un imponente promontorio situado en la provincia de Foggia; Corresponde esencialmente a un macizo montañoso llamado "espolón de Italia" que se adentra 70 km en el mar Adriático y que da origen al Golfo de Manfredonia. Al este se extiende hasta la llamada Testa del Gargano, mientras que al oeste se une con la Tavoliere delle Puglie, cubriendo una superficie total de aproximadamente 2000 km2. Su territorio incluye el Parque Nacional del Gargano.
El Gargano, la única montaña íntegramente en Apulia, era originalmente una isla, luego se unió al continente por una acumulación progresiva de depósitos aluviales, especialmente del torrente Candelaro; La franja costera norte, baja y arenosa, incluye el lago litoral de Varano con el adyacente lago de Lesina.
El macizo, constituido fundamentalmente por rocas calizas, que culmina en los 1.055 m del Monte Calvo (el nombre de esta montaña es significativo, con sus laderas desnudas y pedregosas), presenta una sugerente morfología kárstica, cuyos aspectos más interesantes son las numerosas grutas, habitadas desde tiempos prehistóricos. En algunos de ellos, así como en abrigos rocosos, se han encontrado restos que datan del Paleolítico; También hay tumbas de la Edad del Hierro.
Las otras montañas son: "Spigno", "Giovannicchio" y "Monte Nero". Las cuevas más famosas son las de Paglicci, Montenero y Castellana. Pero el Gargano también es famoso por sus trabucchi, construcciones de pesca realizadas enteramente en madera y accionadas mediante complejos sistemas de cabrestante.
Por lo que se refiere a la conformación geológica subterránea, el sitio más importante es la Grava di Campolato, donde se acumulan las aguas subterráneas de las montañas y colinas circundantes. Se supone por tanto que existe una densa red de cuevas atravesadas por pequeños ríos subterráneos.
La zona más interior de la región, cubierta de espesos bosques, incluido el bosque de Umbra, está escasamente poblada; Los habitantes tienden a concentrarse en localidades costeras o al pie de las montañas, también debido al reciente desarrollo del turismo costero, que se ha añadido a las tradicionales actividades pesqueras y sobre todo agrícolas. Una carretera panorámica recorre casi todo el perímetro del Gargano, tocando muchas de las principales localidades, como San Nicandro Garganico, Carpino, Rodi Garganico, Peschici, Vieste, Mattinata y Manfredonia. Entre las localidades del interior, recordamos Monte Sant'Angelo, San Giovanni Rotondo y San Marco in Lamis: todas ellas localidades con santuarios muy populares que atestiguan cómo el Gargano ha sido siempre, desde la Edad Media, un lugar de gran fervor religioso, también por culpa del Padre Pío.
Source imagfes / Fuente imágenes-
