Mattinata (source: Visual Puglia )
Mattinata is situated inside Gargano National Park, set on two hills and surrounded by olive groves and woodland and sprayed by the splendid sea of the Gargonic headland. The town was established as a Roman port, known as “Matinum”, however the first settlement finds in the area date back to circa the V century B.C. In Monte Saraceno, which borders the residential centre on its southern side, a necropolis was found containing 500 tombs built by the Dauni. The history of the old town of Matinum relates to various dominations and the raids carried out by the Saracens on the Garganic headland, as well as the bloody battles that drove them away from the area by Otto I. The end of Matinum can be attributed to a raid carried out by the Saracens before their final departure from Mount Saracen. According to other studies, the ancient town was destroyed by a strong earthquake and a subsequent seaquake. Mattinata was re-founded in 1780 and in the years that followed it was part of the Parthenopaean Republic and participated in the Carbonari movement. The allocation of a Royal Police Barracks in the town in 1887 led its people to request the status of municipality for the hamlet of Mattinata. It only achieved municipal independence in 1956.
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Daunia and Gargano territories offer a wide variety of scenarios: sweet hills in Fortore river valley, Daunian Apennine area and Ofanto river valley, Gargano national park, Tavoliere delle Puglie tableland and unpolluted Tremiti archipelago. Where endless wheat stretches rise and one can watch without seeing the horizon there is the Tavoliere, a witness of Foggia, San Severo and Cerignola the agricultural tradition. The greenest area in Apulia: Gargano National Park. It stands for its vegetation, ranging from forests to maquis. Five Tremiti islands are considered as veritable natural heavens. Sea beds, caves and erosions carved by the waves and winds represent overpowering attractions for scuba divers and sea lovers.
St. Mary of the Graces and the Capuchin Monastery - San Giovanni Rotondo
Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Stignano - San Marco in Lamis
Tremiti Archipelago in north of Gargano National Park. Two of the islands have been populated since antiquity and the wonderful natural scenario they are in is enriched by the several stories and legends which have been passed over for centuries now, showing the tight connection between islanders, sea and nature
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Gargano National Park covers the whole homonymous cape and also includes Tremiti Islan archipelago. In this park there are several rare protected habitats such as Foresta Umbra ('Umbrian forest'), the last existing sample of a vegetation characterizing most of Mediterranean area during prehistory
Daunia, ancient Capitanata region, includes the Preappennines, the Apulian Tavoliere and Gargano. Its landscape is extremely diverse and ranges from the green of inland parks and forests to the yellow of wheat in the Tavoliere, to the blue of sea water in contrast with coastal white cliffs.
Project created in collaboration with InnovaPuglia.
Regione Puglia
Regione Puglia