Puglia Mattinata

The dazzling white of the houses, the deep blue of the Adriatic sea, and the intense green of the Mediterranean vegetation: these are the colors of Mattinata and the perfect introduction to Puglia's Gargano region.

Travelling Southwards from Foggia, Mattinata is the first town visitors come to, the beaches of which attract hundreds of holidaymakers each summer. Summer is the ideal season when to participate in a boat trip: the perfect way to better observe the stunning rock formations and numerous sea caves which characterise this section of Puglia's coastline. Mattinata has been inhabited since ancient times, as testified by the 2600 year old necropolis situated on the Monte Saraceno (three kilometers from the town center), and a number of archaeological findings now housed in the Civic Museum.

Strolling through the streets of Mattinata visitors come across another important collection of archaeological exhibits, conserved within a chemist's shop. This decidedly unusual setting is explained by the fact that the collection belonged to a certain Dr Sansone, whose heirs are only too happy to show tourists the fascinating artefacts left to them by their learned relative.