Sitting astride two promontories, the Puglian town of Vieste gazes out onto the Italian Adriatic, at the head of the Gargano peninsula. Vieste is hugely popular these days, courtesy of its superb beaches (it's a regular recipient of Blue Flag awards), and with some spectacularly eroded cliffs - the soft rock here has been carved by the water and the elements into a series of arches and grottoes. With the cliffs dropping precipitously into the ocean, some of the most rewarding sights can only be reached by boat.
In the early Middle Ages this was a thriving town before being sacked by the Turks in the 11th century, with 5000 local people being beheaded at the Chianca Amara, the 'bitter stone' in the Via Duomo. Other sights include the Cattedrale and the Castello. Fifty years ago this once important medieval city was just a little fishing town, with the farms of the Gargano Promontory spread out behind. In the mid twentieth century there wasn't even a proper road connecting Vieste with the rest of Puglia, but today fishing has declined and tourism has taken over. Especially during August, Vieste is packed with holidaymakers, mainly from Puglia and Italy itself, though increasingly from overseas. Vieste's old town sits on the eastern of the two promontories, and has the Chiesa di San Francesco (once a monastery) and a 'trabucco'. This is a cantilevered arrangement, peculiar to Puglia, and used to catch mullet.
To the left you'll find a selection of hotels, to get you in the mood
- see also our full listings of Vieste hotels.
