The Gargano Cycle Route and the Foresta Umbra: the silent promontory

The Gargano everyone knows is the one by the sea: Vieste, Peschici, the caves reached by boat, the beaches packed from June to September. But you only have to turn your back on the coast and climb up into the interior of the promontory to enter a completely different Gargano, cool, green and silent, one that most tourists never even imagine. It is here, in the heart of the promontory, that you find the Foresta Umbra: one of the most evocative beech forests in southern Italy, so precious that it has been recognised as a World Heritage Site as part of the ancient beech forests of Europe.

The beauty of pedalling in this part of the Gargano is precisely the contrast. While down below, at the water's edge, people hunt for a shady spot among the umbrellas, up here you ride beneath vaults of tall, straight beeches, with the light filtering in patches onto the tarmac. The air is cooler, the sounds are those of the woods, and you can go for long stretches without crossing paths with a single soul.

In the heart of the promontory

The natural reference point is the Foresta Umbra Visitor Centre, in the heart of the Gargano National Park. From here roads and paths branch off towards the best-known clearings, such as the one where the fallow deer graze, and you can reach the great monumental trees that give this wood its name. The Foresta Umbra is not flat: the interior of the promontory is a succession of karst sinkholes, hollows and undulations that make every stretch varied. From here, choosing the downhill roads, you can drop towards the villages on the slopes, such as Monte Sant'Angelo with its famous sanctuary of San Michele, or towards Vico del Gargano and Vieste by the sea.

This is a route of disguised mountain riding: the promontory rises well above sea level and the roads that cross it are made of long, shady climbs, never trivial. The effort is significant, to be tackled with training and appropriate gearing, but the reward is a surface that is mostly paved, lightly trafficked on the inner stretches, and elevation gain earned at every hairpin among the beeches. Those who would rather not toil too much can arrange to climb just once and then enjoy the ups and downs of the forest plateau, leaving the longer descents for the return.

How to get there

To get there, the most convenient logistical base is one of the coastal or foothill towns: Vieste, Peschici, Vico del Gargano or Monte Sant'Angelo. From each of these you take the road that climbs towards the Foresta Umbra. It is best to set off early, both to catch the cool air and to have the roads still empty.

When to go

The best time is late spring and early autumn: May and September are ideal. In those months the woods are at their finest, green and luminous in spring, with the first warm hues in September, while the coast is less congested and the temperatures at altitude are perfect for cycling. In high summer the sea draws everyone, and precisely for that reason the interior stays clear: but the heat and humidity make the effort harder, so the shoulder months remain the winning choice, also to avoid the holiday traffic on the access roads.

Practical tips

A practical tip: carry enough water and something to eat, because once inside the forest the refreshment points are few and far between. Make the most of the clearings and the Visitor Centre for a proper break, leaving the bike and walking a few minutes among the largest beeches: it is the best way to understand why this corner of the Gargano is worth the effort of the climb. And always check the forecast, because at altitude the fog can roll in quickly and completely change the mood of the woods.

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