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Monte Sant’Angelo, an enchanting municipality in the Gargano National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands gloriously overlooking the Gulf of Manfredonia. Famous for the Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel, a pilgrimage destination since the 6th century, this “holy city” captivates visitors and faithful alike with its mystical atmosphere. The historic center, characterized by charming narrow streets and breathtaking views, invites visitors to discover the historicity of places visited by saints such as St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine of Siena. A trip to Monte Sant’Angelo means immersing oneself in a world of spirituality, history and culinary traditions, all framed by extraordinary natural landscapes.
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Monte Sant’Angelo, home of the Gargano National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous throughout the world for the famous Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo, a destination for pilgrims of the Christian religion, since the sixth century.
Called the sacred city of the Gargano, the town is in fact concentrated around the cave of San Michele Arcangelo and the inhabited center is the highest in the Gargano, as it is placed in a splendid panoramic position on a spur south of the promontory, with a breathtaking view of the gulf of Manfredonia.
Subject of visits of numerous saints such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Francis of Assisi, Monte Sant’Angelo in July 1917 hosted Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, who went on pilgrimage to the holy cave to venerate San Michele.
The city boasts also a Norman-Swabian-Aragonese castle, a few steps from the cave, which was the home of the Emperor of Swabia, Bianca Lancia, held in this castle, in fact today it is said that her ghost still roams the halls of this building.
In the Gargano center area there is part of the Umbra Forest, a protected natural area of the Gargano National Park, whose name derives from the shadowiness of the forest, considered very dark. Between Monte Sant’Angelo and San Giovanni Rotondo there is the Valle Carbonara, the largest and longest valley in the Gargano, dedicated to crops. While a few kilometers away, in the municipality of Manfredonia, it is also possible to find the Quarto wood, rich in beech and oak.
At Monte Sant’Angelo you can visit the Museum of arts and popular traditions, known as the Tancredi Museum, located at the former convent of the church of San Francesco, the Lapidary Museum, located inside the Basilica of San Michele and the Devotional Museum also located within the sanctuary.
Monte Sant’Angelo is known for its typical bread and its traditional dishes such as pancotto with broad beans and various vegetables, the semolina which is a variation of polenta made with semolina, orecchiette with turnip greens with the addition of fried anchovies and garlic and laine, fresh tagliatelle with chickpeas and cod sauce.
Municipality of Monte Sant’Angelo
Province of Foggia
Puglia region
Center altitude: 796 m s.l.m.
Città d’Arte e Cultura CIDAC
Città del pane
Città e siti patrimonio mondiale Unesco
Parco Nazionale del Gargano
Riserva naturale Falascone
Riserva naturale Foresta Umbra
Via Municipio, 2 – tel. 0884566200
BY CAR
- From Bologna: take the San Severo exit. Merge onto state road 272 towards San Marco in Lamis, continue towards San Giovanni Rotondo and 24 km Monte Sant’Angelo. Or exit at Foggia, take the SS 89 in the direction of Manfredonia, in the Macchia locality turn for Monte Sant’Angelo.
- From Rome: take the A1 highway to Caserta, take the A30 at 20 km, take the A16 exit at the Candela tollbooth, continue for Foggia on the ring road, take the SS 89. Or from the A24 highway, continue for Pescara (A25) to Chieti, take the A14 , exit at San Severo or Foggia.
ON THE TRAIN
- Foggia station
What to see in Monte Sant’Angelo
Discover what to see in Monte Sant’Angelo among monuments, scenic views, museums, churches and symbolic places of the village. A useful selection to plan your visit and explore the area.
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Monte Sant’Angelo is only one of the treasures of the area. Use the interactive map to discover what to visit nearby, how far the other villages are and which experiences you can enjoy along the route.
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