Vieste is the easternmost town of the Gargano Promontory. This isolated position lead to it being dubbed The Lost town in the past by other places in the area.
A popular destination for tourists from all over the world, it offers visitors scenes of incomparable natural and historical beauty, from the shorelines that fall sharply into the sea to the 19th century town centre.
Although its origins are unknown, Vieste is one of the most ancient cities of the Daunia territory. One legend holds that it was founded by Noah who disembarked and buried his wife Vesta (who inspired the name of the town) here. Other traditions identify it with the ancient Apenestre after the recent discovery of numerous archaeological artefacts.
The residential area is situated on a small, rocky peninsula delimited by points that separate its three bays: the east-facing Punta di San Francesco, steeper and rockier, is where the medieval centre and its ancient buildings stand, while the lower, north-facing Punta di Santa Croce, is the setting for the new residential area. This is also where Vieste harbour is situated which was an important reference point for commercial traffic with countries on the other side of the Adriatic Sea for centuries.
The notable, medieval heart of the city has narrow, tortuous alleys which wind through white houses, small entrances and steep staircases occasionally linked with elegant archways.
The famous monolith Pizzomunno, rising 25m above the Spiaggia del Castello, south of the Punta di San Francesco, is the symbol of the town. The legend tells of a fisherman, turned to stone by the sea gods jealous of his love with Cristalda, a beautiful sea nymph, who they also imprisoned in the depths of the water. Moved by their declarations of eternal love, other gods intervened and every 100 years during the August full moon, Cristalda is released from her chains to meet with her lover, temparily human again.
Although the coast of Gargano drops brusquely to the sea, there are many beaches of great beauty and good size as Vieste has a high concentration of bays, caves and inlets all contained in a range of about 20km.
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