Tenuta Villa Oleandro

The Gargano

Known as the spur of Italy The Gargano Peninsula covers an area of almost 3,000 square kilometres.  A veritable limestone island of mountains (between 600m and 1,000m high), the Gargano's very inaccessibility and total independence from the Apennines and the rest of Italy determined its very nature and customs.

Once a remote place, unaffected by the outside world it developed, and amazingly has managed to maintain, its charm, traditions, characteristics and unique dialects.

The rugged coastline is dotted with ancient villages; the interior is a mountainous region of deciduous forests.  Between forest and sea, the landscape is an ocean of olives and pine woodlands.  Along the northern coast two large sea-water lakes are home to all manner of wildfowl; the southern coast is bounded by the Gulf of Manfredonia.  The whole being a National Park.

COASTLINE   The Gargano boasts 200km of beautiful, primitive, unspoilt coastline, much of it only accessible by boat.  Sandy beaches, pebbly bays, rocky coves, sand dunes, sheer cliffs, caves and magnificent sea stacks; all natural works of art and architecture sculpted by sea, wind and rain.  The Tremiti Islands, jewels in the Gargano crown, are surrounded by crystal clear waters teeming with many species of sea flora and fauna.

PARCO NAZIONALE DEL GARGANO   The Gargano National Park was instituted on 5th June 1995 and extends over an area of 120,000 hectares (approximately 300,000 acres).  From sea level to its highest point at Monte Calvo (1,065m) the promontory boasts woodlands and forests,  lakes and marshlands and the marine reserves at the Tremiti Islands.

FORESTS  There are true natural havens to be found in the Gargano, the Foresta Umbra being the most famous. The “Shady Forest”, the biggest broad-leaf forest in Italy, extends over some 15,000 hectares (approximately 38,000 acres) of the heart of the Gargano - a mere 15% of what it used to be.  In these Gargano woodlands and forests Beech, Maple, Fir and Chestnut grow to monumental size and beneath these giants a myriad of flora and fauna abound.

WETLANDS   One of the main reasons for which the National Park was established is the presence of important wetlands, including lakes at Lesina and Varano, and the marshes at Frattarolo and Sfinale.  Rich in amphibian, reptile and bird life they are made even more interesting by being situated on the migratory routes between Europe and Africa.

FAUNA   In summer you might see a green frog near a watercourse or perhaps an emerald toad. In spring, with a little luck you might spot the mating dance of newts, and lizards are never far away from footpaths; vipers mostly confine themselves to sunny spots in higher mountain areas.  The forests are the kingdom of the rare Gargano roe deer, wild boar, wild cat, badger, hedgehog, marten, dormouse, fox, owl and many other creatures.

Numerous also the species of birds, some permanent residents, some  summer visitors and some just passing through.  Ravens, hoopoes, woodpeckers, cuckoos, golden orioles, bee-eaters, blackbirds, swallows, swifts, finches, robins, shrikes, serins, wagtails, tits, black caps and nut hatches; flamingos, cranes, herons, egrets, oystercatchers, kingfishers, waders and curlews; eagles, buzzards, kites, kestrels, peregrine falcons, and owls (eagle, tawny, barn, and little).  These to name just a few!

FLORA   The variety of eco-systems in the Gargano and indeed its geographical position, makes for an interesting botanical crossroads.  Here Apennine and Central European plants thrive as well as the more distinctly Mediterranean and Balkan species.  In fact, the Gargano boasts more than 2,200 botanical species - that’s an amazing 35% of all plant species found in the whole of Italy.

Most notably, a record number of orchid species flourish in the Gargano and can be seen flowering between February and September making the region a Mecca for orchid enthusiasts.  An ever increasing number of varieties (species and hybrids) have been and are being continually identified - 61 at the last count, though the numbers seem to be a matter for debate.  47 different species have been classified in the environs of Monte Sacro alone, including the widespread Ophyrs Garganica, Ophrys Bertolonii and Ophrys Apulica.