Not to be confused with a Forest in another region in Italy (Umbria) this National Park, Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997 has a surface of almost 10.500 hectares and covers the North-east side of Gargano and, from 832 metres above sea level of MonteIacotenente, goes down to 165 metres above sea level in the area of Caritate.
It includes areas related to different municipalities, Vico del Gargano, Vieste and Monte Sant'Angelo. Visitors can get more information, maps and tips at the visitors center.
How and when it is possible to visit the Park: the information office of the Park Authority and the Visitor Centers hand out publications informing the visitors about the characteristics of the places and the best periods to visit the Park.
How to get there and connections: by car, if you want to reach the coastal lakes and the northern slopes, follow the A14 Bologna-Taranto motorway and take Poggio Imperiale exit; then you can follow the Gargano highway until you reach Vico, then Peschici, Vieste, and Foresta Umbra; take San Severo exit and the SS road 272 towards San Marco in Lamis, San Giovanni Rotondo. From Foggia you must take the Gargano SS road 89 towards Manfredonia, Mattinata, Monte Sant'Angelo, while the easiest way to get there from the South is to take the Cerignola est exit on the A14 motorway and to go on towards Gargano. For those who arrive from Naples following the A16 motorway it is better to take Candela exit to get to the highway towards Foggia.
For those who prefer to travel by train, there are the FS trains until San Severo and Foggia, and a pictoresque local line of the Gargano railways which links San Severo to Peschici Calenella going through almost the whole hinterland of the Park (for further information, Tel. +39 0882 221414).
Buses of the SITA line and of the Gargano railways link the villages of the Park with San Giovanni Rotondo, Manfredonia, and Foggia.
Well done, we suggest to visit the marvellous place :)