Christmas it is a magical period and even if the Gargano it is above all a seaside destination, it is beautiful even in winter.
I villages of the Gargano, built perched on the rock, with irregular houses, look a bit like cribs. It is not uncommon, during the Christmas period, to find the innermost villages (such as Vico del Gargano e Monte Sant'Angelo) covered with snow and even more fascinating.
Between themed events and some exhibitions of cribs you can taste the typical sweets of the Gargano: thepettole, the Cartellate and calzuncidd (stuffed dumplings).
It is quite easy to find free and cheap rooms in B&Bs in the center of Vieste, such as the Marina Piccola B&B.
During the Christmas holidays, a truly evocative living nativity scene is often staged, in which adults, children and animals recreate a small Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth, often at the sanctuary of Santa Maria de Merino, on the coast road about 5 km from Vieste in the direction of Peschici, or in the Old Town.
Always in the historic center of Vieste the event “Ogni Stalla una Stella” is held, with the setting up of nativity scenes in the old stables of the village.
Another usual initiative is the Christmas Village, with the setting up of an ice skating rink, Christmas markets and events dedicated to children, in the Villa Comunale of Vieste.
Unfortunately in recent years many of these events and initiatives have not had light due to problems related to the 2020 pandemic.
The winter sea retains its charm, certainly different from the typically summer one, but equally attractive, thanks to the presence of ancient coastal towers and trebuchets that embellish the already splendid coast of the Gargano promontory
One of the places in the Gargano to visit all year round is certainly la Umbrian forest.
La Umbra Forest, the green lung of the Gargano National Park is a 20-minute drive from Vieste.
Once in the forest, the landscape changes, passing from the beaches that have a melancholy charm in winter, to an explosion of colours. The carpet of dry leaves, holly and beech trees will take you to a fantastic world, a silent fairy-tale forest which becomes even more magical during the Christmas holidays.
In the lake area we could take a pleasant walk around the artificial lake, in a comfortable way thanks to the recently built walkway in a non-invasive and environmentally friendly way.
We could meet the fallow deer, in their area, protected by a net, about 400 meters from the pond area.
These very sweet animals, which look a bit like Santa's reindeer, will approach you curiously for the joy of the little ones.
The snow, often present in the forest during the Christmas period, usually does not create problems for traffic, but helps to create a typically Christmas and fun atmosphere, the riding field adjacent to the lake area is the ideal location for a snowball fight.
Merry Christmas from turismovieste.it
