vieste
 
VIESTE juts out into the Adriatic on two promontories, the most easterly point of the Gargano peninsula. Fifty years ago there wasn't even a proper road here, but today Vieste, with its excellent beaches, is the holiday capital of Gargano (and Puglia), and the streets and sands are packed in August. Despite this it has managed to survive as a lively and inviting town, with an interesting historic core and active nightlife that warrant a stop of a day or two - certainly if you're planning to take the ferry from here to the Trémiti Islands.

The old town sits on the easternmost of the two promontories, at the tip of which stands the Chiesa di San Francesco , once a thriving monastery, and a trabucco - a cantilevered arrangement of beams, winches and ropes still used by fishermen to catch mullet. Made of wood, these structures are a feature peculiar to the rocky Gargano coast, probably Phoenician in origin, and the principle at least is straightforward. As mullet swim head to tail, a live mullet is attached to a line and used to entice others to swim over a net suspended below, which is then hoisted up to the platform. Visits can be arranged through the tourist office .

From the church, climb up Via Mafrolla, walking into the old town to Piazza Seggio. Straight ahead, Via Duomo is site of the so-called Chianca Amara , the "bitter stone", where as many as 5000 local people were beheaded when the Turks sacked the town in 1554. Further down, beyond the stone, the Cattedrale , eleventh century in origin but tampered with in the eighteenth century, is a cool retreat from the fierce glare of the sun in the whitewashed streets; and beyond here the Castello is another of Frederick II's installations - owned by the military now and not open to the public, but giving good views over the beaches and town.

You arrive by bus at Piazza Mazzini, to the west of the town centre; bear right from here along Viale XXIV Maggio, which becomes Corso Lorenzo Fazzini - the main street. At no. 8 is the main tourist office (Mon-Fri 8am-2pm, plus Tues & Thurs 4-7pm; tel 0884.707.495); there's another at Piazza Kennedy, in the centre of the old town (Mon-Fri 8am-2pm & 3-8pm; tel 0884.708.806). Though there's no shortage of accommodation in Vieste, you will need to book ahead in high season and budget options are hard to come by. First choice is the atmospheric, Pensione al Centro Storico , Via Mafrolla 32 (tel 0884.707.030; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98), in the old town, with large, simple rooms, and a sun terrace overlooking the promontory where you can bring your own beer and take-out pizza and enjoy the sunset. With just thirteen rooms and many people coming back year after year you need to book well in advance (at Easter for August). Another option in the old town is the Del Seggio , Via Veste 7 (tel 0884.708.123, www.iqsnet.it/hotelseggio ; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47), with vertiginous views down to its swimming pool and private rocky beach, while around 500m north of the castle along the shore, the good-value Albergo Vela Velo , Lungomare Europa 19 (tel 0884.706.303; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98), is a small, modern two-star. A little more upmarket is the Hotel Punta San Francesco at Via D Francesco 2 (tel 0884.701.422; L150,000-200,000/¬77.47-103.29) with lovely views over the promontory and comfortable whitewashed rooms with terracotta tile floors. For food , the strangely named Box 19 , Via Santa Maria di Merino 13 (closed Mon & Nov), serves excellent seafood such as linguine all'astice (lobster) and is fairly moderately priced.

From June to September there are ferry, catamaran and hydrofoil connections to the Trémiti Islands from Vieste; tickets are available from Gargáno Viaggi at Piazza Roma 7 (daily 9am-12.30pm & 5-9pm; tel 0884.708.501), from Vesta Travel, at Via Cavour 12 (June-Sept Mon-Sat 9am-1pm & 4-8pm; Oct-May Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 4-8pm; tel 0884.701.522), or from the Adriatica office in the harbour. Otherwise, foot-passenger ferries ( motonave ) run between late April and early October; tickets from the agencies above or from the ticket office at the harbour (look for the "Vieste 1" sign).