Sfinalicchio beach is about 10 km north of Vieste, halfway to Peschici. This is the last beach in Vieste, after the small beaches of Crovatico and "the chianca” (named after the islet that shelters it). It was once separated from the beach of Sfinale, in the territory of Peschici.
Almost 2 km long, with a sandy bottom that slopes gently and has a wild charm due to the vegetation that frames it, Sfinale is one of the least frequented and most peaceful beaches.
The bay is a favorite destination for the practice of water sports such as windsurfing and kitesurfing, due to its exposure to favorable currents. On the west ridge of Sfinale an ancient one is clearly visible sighting tower against the Saracen danger, now in a clear state of abandonment.
The Sfinale Tower
Built between 1568 and 1569 by the impresario Giovanni della Monica on the orders of Alfonso Salazar, a high official of the Kingdom of Naples, the tower is located on a small ledge above a cave in the splendid Baia di Sfinale, in visual contact with the Porticello tower.
The Sfinale Tower was part of the coastal defense system built by the Kingdom of Naples to protect the Gargano from Saracen raids. These towers, including Sfinale, were fundamental: their position allowed visual communication with other towers thanks to large fires lit in case of enemy sightings.
Today, this ancient sentinel of the sea still tells us its story: it has a quadrangular structure of 14 meters per side, with slightly sloped walls that rise in a truncated pyramid on three levels, for a height of about 13 meters. The top floor, presumably built with different materials, is distinct from the rest of the tower. On the crown, now in decay, you can still see 4 or 5 machicolations on each side. The access, originally served by wooden stairs that could be retracted in case of danger, was later replaced by a masonry structure.
Abandoned since the eighteenth century, the tower remains an extraordinary witness to the past, immersed in a natural setting of rare beauty.
A place where time seems to have stopped, perfect for those who want to discover the most authentic and wild side of Gargano.
