The first edition of ends STELLA MARINA 2026 – Responsible Tourism Award, the project promoted by TurismoVieste.it To promote activities that contribute to the quality of Vieste's tourist experience through authenticity, local expertise, sustainability, innovation, a strong reputation, and consistent offerings.
After the analysis of the applications and the checks carried out on the participating activities, the entities selected for the 2026 edition were identified, divided into categories Hospitality, Food & Drink and Experience.
It is important to point out that this selection It is not intended to be a list of the best activities in ViesteWe are well aware that there are numerous high-quality organizations in the area that would have been fully eligible for consideration, but which did not submit their applications for this first edition.
Their absence from the list It therefore does not in any way represent a judgement on the quality of the activitiesThe hope is that many more deserving organizations will participate in future editions, allowing STELLA MARINA to become increasingly representative of the local tourism offering year after year.
STELLA MARINA isn't intended as a ranking and doesn't award top spots. The award seeks to identify experiences and businesses that, despite their very diverse characteristics, represent positive examples of local tourism.
Particular attention has been paid to the ability to go beyond an exclusively seasonal vision of tourism, enhancing who maintains active services for longer periods, invests concretely in sustainability, describes the area with authenticity or introduces new ways of experiencing Vieste and the Gargano.
The selected activities will also be given the opportunity to receive the STELLA MARINA 2026 Physical Award: a hand-illustrated canvas by Vieste artist Teo Palatella, specially made for recognition.
A choice that aims to make the award itself consistent with the spirit of STELLA MARINA: not a standardized certificate, but a work linked to Vieste, to creativity and to the territory, capable of also materially representing the value of the local identity that the project intends to promote.
EXPERIENCE
Luisa Arena – Gargano Nature Guide 
Twelve months of activities and an approach that brings together nature, history, archaeology, biodiversity, and traditions.
The excursions become tools for environmental education and interpretation of the territory, with particular attention to less frequented places.
A model of slow and conscious tourism which allows you to get to know the Gargano beyond the bathing season and contributes concretely to its valorization throughout the year.
The hiking activities are also accompanied by environmental education initiatives, collaborations with schools, and activities dedicated to understanding and protecting biodiversity.
Moving
Cycling and slow mobility are one of the most sustainable and authentic ways to discover the Gargano.
Through bicycle and e-bike rentals and tours of Vieste, the Umbra Forest, and the Gargano area, Mooveng offers a different way to experience the destination, encouraging contact with nature, exploration of the hinterland, and an alternative way to explore the area without using a car.
An offer particularly consistent with the principles of sustainability, active tourism and deseasonalization at the base of STELLA MARINA.
The reputation of the guests is also particularly positive, with ratings close to 4,9/5 and numerous comments dedicated to the quality of the bikes, the assistance and the knowledge of the itineraries.
ASD Vieste Scuba Explorers
One of the most complex candidacies for the 2026 edition.
Diving activities are combined with environmental education, knowledge of marine biodiversity, safety and marine protection.
Of particular significance is the desire to transform the tourist experience into a tool for raising awareness and understanding of the marine environment, with activities offered throughout the year and initiatives also aimed at schools and the local community.
The selection process focused primarily on the quality and completeness of the submitted projects, going beyond the simple benchmark of online reviews.
Vieste Sea Adventure
One of the realities with the most significant online reputation among those selected.
Vieste Sea Adventure can in fact count on hundreds of reviews with top-level ratings: approximately 5/5 on Google with over 400 reviews and similar ratings on Tripadvisor too.
The value of the experience, however, goes beyond simply renting a boat. Guests' testimonials reveal the ability to accompany visitors on a discovery of the Gargano coast, through sea caves, coves, swimming stops, and, above all, the stories of the places.
Professionalism, availability, and local knowledge are elements that recur frequently in the reviews. The sea excursion thus becomes a personal and authentic experience, allowing you to explore the Vieste coast with the support of those who live and know the sea.
Small Souvenir
A particular candidacy, which also brings the theme of the project into the projectcrafts and local production.
The business has chosen to favor artisanal, Italian, Apulian, and Gargano products, also supporting small producers and artisans.
A simple yet practical way to prevent souvenirs from becoming indistinct products and instead maintain a connection between what visitors take home at the end of their holiday and the place they discovered.
Online reputation is particularly positive, with approximately 4,9/5 on Tripadvisor, with reviews they frequently highlight the quality of the products, the courtesy and the search for objects truly linked to the territory.
HOSPITALITY
Village Camping Oasi Vieste
A reality that interprets in a particularly significant way one of the central principles of STELLA MARINA: the continuity of the tourist offer beyond the high season months.
For years, Villaggio Camping Oasi has maintained a particularly long opening season, significantly contributing to extending Vieste's tourist season. This is further enhanced by the overall quality of hospitality, the attention to detail, and the direct contact with guests.
The online reputation confirms the continuity of the work carried out: at the time of selection the structure records about 4,6/5 on Google with over 700 reviews and particularly positive ratings also on the main tourist platforms.
An example of how a facility strongly tied to seaside tourism can continue to invest in hospitality even beyond the height of summer.
Novecento Country House
A hospitality project deeply tied to the place where it is located.
The structure recovers a part of the rural history of the area and offers an experience immersed in nature, in an ideal location between the coast and the Umbra Forest.
Operational continuity is also particularly significant, with nine months of opening declared, and the desire to offer hospitality far from standardized models.
The reputation of the guests is also particularly significant: on Booking Novecento Country House records a score of approximately 9,8/10, with very high ratings for hospitality, cleanliness, comfort and relationship with guests.
Coliving Together Gargano
A particularly interesting hospitality model for the theme of seasonal adjustment.
Together Gargano works to bring together travelers, the local community, digital nomads, and smart workers, encouraging longer stays and year-round occupancy.
The goal is not just to offer a place to sleep, but to allow guests to experience the area at a different pace, build relationships with its residents, and explore the Gargano beyond the traditional summer vacation.
The model is also reflected in guest satisfaction: on Booking the property records approximately 9,2/10 out of 120+ reviews, with particularly high ratings for staff, cleanliness, services and comfort.
Farm Passion Nature
A hospitality facility that expands the traditional concept of agritourism through experiences capable of bringing together hospitality, nature, gastronomy and activities.
Among the options are Adventure Golf surrounded by olive trees and cooking classes dedicated to making traditional pasta. This is an interesting model because it transforms a stay into an opportunity to experience the local area, appealing to families and a variety of audiences throughout the year.
The establishment also has a significant number of online reviews and an overall positive rating. In this case, however, the selection was primarily determined by the originality and variety of the experience offered.
Baia della Tufara village
A well-established Vieste hospitality business that continues to grow over the years.
Appreciated for the care of the structure, the hospitality and the services aimed in particular at families.
The recognition recognizes the overall quality of the experience and the ability to maintain a positive reputation and strong relationships with customers over time.
The structure can count on hundreds of reviews collected over the years on the main platforms, with very positive ratings, an opening period longer than the standards of tourist villages.
Elisena village
One of the candidates who best interprets the themes of the environmental sustainability,.
The facility has invested in photovoltaic and solar thermal systems, internal electric mobility, e-bike rental, a charging station for electric cars, and a reduction in single-use plastic.
Added to this is the decision to extend the opening season, including through catering services, and a particular focus on introducing guests to the Gargano beyond just their stay.
Online reputation presents different ratings between the various platforms, with particularly high results on Booking, where the property achieves scores higher than 9/10The STELLA MARINA selection highlights, above all, concrete investments made in the environmental field and in the continuity of the offer.
Padre Pio estate 
A business that combines catering, hospitality, local produce, and a strong connection with the rural area of Vieste.
Experiences related to wine, gastronomy, and agriculture help to describe a part of Gargano beyond its exclusive seaside resorts, creating a direct connection between tourism, products, and landscape.
The property also has a long-standing reputation, with hundreds of reviews and ratings generally above 4,5/5 on major platforms.
Sant'Andrea Tourist Village in Vieste 
A hospitality business that contributes to the variety of the local tourist offer and with a period of activity of six months a year.
The selection process particularly recognizes the value of facilities capable of maintaining a direct relationship with guests and integrating them into a holiday experience closely tied to the local area.
Online reputation is overall positive, with ratings around 4,4/5 on Google and a significant number of testimonies collected over time.
Holiday House La Banchina
A smaller, more personal accommodation option, selected primarily for the hospitality model it seeks to offer.
The Banchina aims to bring Vieste to life as “local” as possible, encouraging longer stays, instead of the logic of a quick and standardized stay.
Particular attention is paid to the relationship with guests, who come from various countries around the world, through personalized advice on restaurants, beaches, excursions, services, transportation, and places to visit.
The goal is to help visitors not only stay in Vieste, but also understand and experience it more fully, creating an experience as close as possible to that of those who know the area daily.
The hospitality model finds a particularly significant response in the guests' evaluations: on Airbnb La Banchina records approximately 4,94/5 out of 70+ reviews, with top-level ratings for communication, check-in, cleanliness, and accuracy.
The management is completely family-run.
FOOD & DRINK
Merinum Cellars 
Wine as a tool to tell the story of the territory.
Cantine Merinum represents one of the most immediate examples of the connection between product, landscape, and identity of the Gargano, through production, tastings, and experiences related to local products.
The promotion of local vineyards, tastings, and the connection to local agri-food production transform the visit into a true experience of learning about Gargano.
The reputation of the guests also confirms the quality of the experience, with ratings around 4,8/5 on the main platforms dedicated to tourist activities.
Regulars – Pizzeria 
One element had a particularly important weight in the selection: open all twelve months of the year.
In a highly seasonal destination, maintaining a continuous service represents a concrete contribution to the city's tourist liveability and the possibility of offering services even during the less busy months.
Added to this is the quality of the product and a particularly solid online reputation: on TheFork Habitué records approximately 9,1/10 out of 1.600+ reviews, with particularly high ratings for the quality of the food.
Stella Marina Beach 
Selected for its direct relationship with guests, its declared use of local products, and the quality of the experience gained over the years.
A business strongly tied to the sea and the beach season, yet capable of building a very positive reputation and a recognizable identity over time.
Online reputation is one of the strong points of the application: on Tripadvisor the activity registers approximately 4,7/5 out of 270+ reviews, with particularly positive reviews of the welcome, the cuisine and the attention to service.
An award that aims to grow together with the territory
The first edition of STELLA MARINA provides an interesting picture above all: there is not just one way to do responsible tourism.
It could mean installing photovoltaic systems or reducing the use of plastic, but also stay open longer, maintain services throughout most of the year and help make Vieste a destination less dependent exclusively on the central summer months.
It can mean encouraging longer stays, helping a visitor get to know the city as its residents do, restoring a structure tied to the area's history, accompanying someone into the Umbra Forest, telling them about the sea during a hike, promoting a local product, or allowing them to slowly discover the Gargano by bicycle.
It can also mean creating new hospitality models, catering to off-season travelers, connecting visitors with the local community, or transforming a simple tourist activity into an opportunity to learn more about the area.
This first edition, however, represents only a starting point.
We know well that in Vieste there are many other worthy activities that did not participate in the selection this yearTheir absence from the list therefore in no way represents a judgment on their quality.
Likewise, the activities that have submitted their candidacy but which in this edition have not yet met all the requirements for recognition They deserve recognition. The very choice to participate, get involved, and address criteria related to quality, sustainability, authenticity, reputation, innovation, and continuity of offerings already represents the beginning of an important journey.
STELLA MARINA's goal is not to exclude, but stimulate a growth processThose who missed out this year will be able to use this initial experience as a starting point to strengthen certain aspects of their business and return to future editions with an even more comprehensive project.
On the contrary, we hope that in future editions, many more local businesses will apply, allowing us to learn about new projects, new experiences, and new examples of responsible tourism.
The goal is to ensure that STELLA MARINA can grow year after year and become an increasingly broad and representative snapshot of those who work to improve the tourist experience in Vieste.
The award is valid annually: each new edition will therefore also represent an opportunity to review the paths taken, promote new projects, and encourage all local businesses to invest increasingly in quality, authenticity, sustainability, and continuity of their offerings.
STELLA MARINA isn't just about showing you where to go. It's about highlighting those who are contributing, each in their own way, to building a better tourism experience for Vieste.
