Vieste
Encyclopedia
Vieste is a town and comune
in the province of Foggia
, in the Apulia
region of southeast Italy
.
A marine resort in Gargano
, Vieste has received Blue Flags
for the purity of its waters from the Foundation for Environmental Education
. The communal territory is included in the Gargano National Park
.
The town is bordered by Mattinata
, Monte Sant'Angelo
, Peschici
and Vico del Gargano
. Till a few decades ago, its main resources were fishing and agriculture. Now tourism, with hotels, resorts and camping facilities, has transformed the town's appearance, economy and lifestyle.
The coast is interesting from a geological point of view. Next to the town there are two large, straight, beaches. The rest of the coast is made up of gulfs and small, hidden sandy beaches.
Erosion by water and wind has shaped the calcareous
rock into grotto
es and arches. Since the coast is steep, some of the finest sights can be reached only by sea.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Foggia
Province of Foggia
The Province of Foggia is a province in the Apulia region of Italy.This province is also known as Capitanata, originally Catapanata, because during the Middle Ages it was governed by a catapan, as part of the Catapanate of Italy...
, in the Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
region of southeast Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Gargano
Gargano is a historical and geographical Italian sub-region situated in Apulia, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland...
, Vieste has received Blue Flags
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
for the purity of its waters from the Foundation for Environmental Education
Foundation for Environmental Education
The Foundation for Environmental Education is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development through environmental education...
. The communal territory is included in the Gargano National Park
Gargano National Park
The Gargano National Park is a national park in the province of Foggia, southern Italy. Aside from the Mount Gargano promontory from which it takes its name, it includes also the Tremiti Islands archipelago and the Foresta Umbra, a large wood protected area established in 1977....
.
The town is bordered by Mattinata
Mattinata
Mattinata is a famous seaside resort town and comune in the province of Foggia, Apulia, southern Italy.-Geography:The only town in Apulia facing south the Adriatic sea, Mattinata is part of the Gargano National Park . The main urban area is located above two hills enclosed by mountains in the...
, Monte Sant'Angelo
Monte Sant'Angelo
Monte Sant'Angelo is a town and comune of Apulia, southern Italy, in the province of Foggia, about 15 km north of Manfredonia by road and 4 km west of Mattinata, on the southern slopes of Monte Gargano.-History:...
, Peschici
Peschici
Peschici is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.Famous seaside resorts, its territory belongs to the Italian National Park of Gargano and to the Comunità Montana del Gargano.- Geography :...
and Vico del Gargano
Vico del Gargano
Vico del Gargano is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. Called the "Village of Love", is part of the Gargano National Park and the Mountain Community of Gargano.-Geography:...
. Till a few decades ago, its main resources were fishing and agriculture. Now tourism, with hotels, resorts and camping facilities, has transformed the town's appearance, economy and lifestyle.
Geography
Erosion by water and wind has shaped the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
rock into grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
es and arches. Since the coast is steep, some of the finest sights can be reached only by sea.
Main sights
Vieste's most famous point is Pizzomunno, a vertical rocky monolith standing at 25 m near the Spiaggia del Castello ("Castle Beach"). Other sights include:- a castle, with a triangular shape and bastions at its vertexes.
- the cathedral in Apulian Romanesque style. It has a basilica plan with a nave and two aisles. Its bell tower was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th century after the previous one collapsed.