Vico Del Gargano – Village, citrus groves and cultural history

Vico Del Gargano offers several distinct travel experiences: medieval architecture, archaeological remains, a cultural landscape shaped by water and citrus cultivation, and walks in the Foresta Umbra. The Castello, the Chiesa matrice and the stone-built Rione Civita define the townscape; the Monte Tabor necropolis lies on the outskirts. You can choose what to focus on according to the themes you want to shape your stay.

Village, castle and historic buildings

At the entrance to the medieval village, behind the Castello federiciano, is the Museo Trappeto Maratea. It is an ancient private olive mill dating from the 14th century, once owned by the noble families of Vico del Gargano. Its location and former use offer two different ways to explore the museum’s history: it stands at the entrance to the village and preserves its connection to a specific working function. The Castello of Vico del Gargano dominates the town centre.

The Chiesa matrice was founded on a hill beside the castle; the Civita and Casale neighbourhoods lie on its slopes. The church is accessible to everyone. Rione Civita is considered the stone-built heart of Vico del Gargano. The church, castle and neighbourhood therefore each offer a different perspective: the church is defined by its location beside the castle, while Civita is known for its stone-built character.

The Monte Tabor necropolis

The Monte Tabor necropolis extends along the outskirts of Vico del Gargano. Its tombs are shaft graves carved into the limestone and arranged in concentric rows. The term “concentric” describes rows arranged around a common centre. This makes it possible to distinguish the site’s features: shaft graves describe the type of tomb, limestone the material, and concentric rows the arrangement. Monte Tabor thus adds an archaeological focus to the historic buildings in town.

Vicolo del Bacio

Vicolo del Bacio is considered a meeting place for lovers, especially during the patron-saint festival of San Valentino, celebrated on 14 February. It is no more than 50 centimetres wide and less than 30 metres long. These measurements give a concrete sense of the alley’s proportions; the tradition associated with the festival explains its special significance for couples. The Vicolo therefore brings together two distinct aspects: a local love tradition and its compact architectural dimensions.

Citrus groves and cultural landscape

Vico Del Gargano is nestled amid the greenery of Gargano National Park. Over the centuries, springs, hills and valleys descending towards the sea have shaped terraced gardens, where limestone is the predominant building material. Around 80 springs irrigate the citrus groves. Water, terraces and stone combine to create a coherent picture of the cultural landscape: the springs supply the groves, while terracing shapes the slopes and valleys, and limestone is the predominant building material.

The local citrus varieties include Arancia bionda del Gargano and Limone Femminello del Gargano; both have IGP protection. This gives you two specifically named varieties to connect with the character of the town, rather than considering citrus cultivation only in general terms. Together with the irrigated groves and terraced landscape, they form a distinctive cultural and landscape aspect of Vico Del Gargano.

Walks in the Foresta Umbra

For a different focus, you can take walks in the Foresta Umbra, through forests of fir, oak and beech trees. This offers a different theme from the buildings, necropolis and terraced gardens: here, the focus is on the forest, while those other sites highlight the town’s history and design. If you are weighing up culture and nature for your trip, the named sights and forest walks may therefore appeal to different interests.

Discover more destinations

Castelluccio Dei Sauri, San Paolo Di Civitate, Foce Varano, Foggia, Alberona, Monte Sant'angelo, Sant'agata Di Puglia, Lucera

For the main travel overview: Foggia.