From a biological point of view, the Gargano promontory is actually an island, divided from the peninsula by the Tavoliere delle Puglie. It is rich in karst structures like caves and dolines. While in the past the promontory was entirely covered by forests, now they constitute only the 15 percent of its surface: the most important wood in the Park is the Foresta Umbra.
In the Park different kinds of habitat coexist: rocky coasts, great valleys rich in rare floral and faunal species, ancient beech woods, Mediterranean pine woods. Some of the trees growing in the Park are more than 500 years old. From a faunal point of view, the peculiarity of the Park is the presence of the roe deer and of several kinds of woodpeckers, among which the great -spotted woodpecker, the middle-spotted woodpecker, the lesser-spotted woodpecker, and the Lilford's woodpecker. The last two of them are very rare and, in Italy, they live only in protected areas, a fact which increases the naturalistic value of these forests. Both the underwood and the prairies are rich in flowers: there are 56 orchid species, the highest number in Europe and in the Mediterranean basin. Moreover, in the past the promontory formed a connection with the Balkan flora and fauna, as it is evident from the presence of the so-called "trans-adriatic" species.
The Foresta Umbra
This wood was once a part of the great forest growing on the Gargano promontory, but Foresta Umbra is still the most representative area of the Gargano hinterland. Despite of the devastations and the irresponsible cutting down of the trees carried out during the last three centuries, which led to the disappearance of the wood from hills and mountains, the Forest preserves his majesty and variety. The origin of the name is not clear: the number of explanations which have been given are all acceptable, but not sufficient to disclose it. According to one of them, the name "Umbra" comes from "Umbri", an ancient population belonging to the Celtic branch, who used to live in the forest robbing and pillaging the shepherds; a more simple explanation argues that the name of the forest comes from its characteristic darkness (the Italian term "ombra" means "shadow").
The Wetlands
One of the main reasons for which the Park has been established is the presence of important humid zones like the lagoons in Lesina and Varano, the marshes in Frattarolo and Daunia Risi, the mouth of the river Fortore, the lake area of Sant'Egidio, and the marsh of Sfinale. The water sources in the northern part of the promontory (the coast between Vieste and Peschici) are interesting because of the presence of amphibians, reptiles, and migratory birds, which also populate the water stagnations in the hinterland. The wetlands of Gargano and Capitanata have always raised the interest of scientists and tourists for the different environments they offer and for being situated on the migratory routes between Europe and Africa. In the 14th century, the Emperor Frederick II of Svevia was fascinated by these places which suggested him the famous treatise "De arte venandi cum avibus" .
Full Service BariVacation, Tours and Cruise Planner
Click here to start planning a great Bari vacation, tour or cruise with our Virtuoso Travel Advisors. You may call us too, but we'd really appreciate it if you complete a vacation planner first so we can determine which destination specialist to introduce you to. Thank you very much! Call 1 800 330 8820 or 415 446 5252 to book your Bari vacation.
Luxury Tours, Adventure Vacations , Honeymoons, Family Vacations
During this time of price volatility in the Bari vacations, travel, tour and cruise industry, please be advised the pricing can fluctuate within the same day. All of our promotions are subject to change without notice. As a result, prices will not be guaranteed until booked.
Disclaimer: We've worked hard to make all the Bari vacations, cruise and travel packages information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.
From a biological point of view, the Gargano promontory is actually an island, divided from the peninsula by the Tavoliere delle Puglie. It is rich in karst structures like caves and dolines. While in the past the promontory was entirely covered by forests, now they constitute only the 15 percent of its surface: the most important wood in the Park is the Foresta Umbra.
This wood was once a part of the great forest growing on the Gargano promontory, but Foresta Umbra is still the most representative area of the Gargano hinterland. Despite of the devastations and the irresponsible cutting down of the trees carried out during the last three centuries, which led to the disappearance of the wood from hills and mountains, the Forest preserves his majesty and variety. The origin of the name is not clear: the number of explanations which have been given are all acceptable, but not sufficient to disclose it. 
One of the main reasons for which the Park has been established is the presence of important humid zones like the lagoons in Lesina and Varano, the marshes in Frattarolo and Daunia Risi, the mouth of the river Fortore, the lake area of Sant'Egidio, and the marsh of Sfinale. The water sources in the northern part of the promontory (the coast between Vieste and Peschici) are interesting because of the presence of amphibians, reptiles, and migratory birds, which also populate the water stagnations in the hinterland. 
