The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II constructed the 13th-century octagonal fortress at Castel del Monte (closed 1 Jan, 25 Dec) out of huge blocks of limestone rich in quartz. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the eight-towered building intrigues tourists and scholars alike for its mathematical forms and eclectic mix of architectural styles. Fragments of decorative elements hint at the past richness of bas-reliefs, frescoes and mosaics. Be sure to try the local Castel del Monte DOC wine made in Corato, 5 km (3 miles) northeast. Look for the trulli (see Alberobello) that dot the fields and olive groves on the road to Barletta.

Take the SS170d to Andria then head to Trani on the SP130. Look for “centro” signs and head for the Marina. Park at Piazza Manfredi near the castle.

A thousand years ago, Trani’s port bustled with pilgrims and Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. Today the harbour is still the main point of interest. At the water’s edge stands the magnificent 11th-century Cattedrale San Nicola Pellegrino (Piazza Duomo; open daily) dedicated to the pilgrims’ saint. Nearby, Frederick II’s Castello Svevo (Piazza Manfredi; open daily) was periodically modified to keep up with changing weapons technology. Tour the courtyards and salons to see remains of medieval frescoes. The Museo Diocesano (Piazza Duomo; open am; also pm in summer) reveals Trani’s religious heritage with finds from the 4th century BC to a 14th-century carved ivory altar. Walk down medieval Via Ognissanti to Chiesa di Ognissanti (open rarely), a 12th-century Templar church built as part of a hospital. Note the sculpture of the Annunciation in the lunette above the door. Further along the street, visit the grand 1456 late-Gothic Palazzo Caccetta (open daily). The public gardens at Villa Comunale (Piazza Plebiscito; open daily, 9am–8pm) which face the sea are worthy of a visit, as is the Mercato Ittico (fish market) at Piazza Longobardi.

For the more adventurous, visitors can kayak, sail, or scuba dive at Lega Navale Italiana (Molo San Antonio; 0883 448 32). The Sant’Antonio dock is also a good place to find a boat for a local excursion along the coast.

An ideal spot to have a coffee is at one of the cafés at the port, or find a bar and sip the sweet local wine, Moscato di Trani DOC.

Take SS16 Adriatica, the coastal road, north. Park on the street near the castle or in Piazza della Disfida.

Just outside the town gate by the sea, Emperor Frederick II’s castle stands sentry. Built in 1233 over a Norman fortress, the castle now hosts the Museo Civico e Pinacoteca (Piazza Castello; closed Mon), displaying archaeological artifacts, ceramics, stone tablets with medieval inscriptions and a bust of Frederick II.

Santa Maria Maggiore (Via Duomo 38; open daily), Barletta’s cathedral, dates from the 6th century, and was built over an even older Roman temple. Here too are traces of the Knights Templar. Basilica del Santo Sepolcro (Via Sant’Antonio) offered prayer and hospitality to Crusaders. Outside stands the Colossus of Heraclius, an early medieval bronze statue of an emperor in battledress.

Cantina della Disfida (closed Mon) was probably the site of the challenge for the famous duel in 1503. Thirteen pairs of French and Italian knights fought each other after insults were thrown – the Italians won. The duel is re-enacted every February.

A few doors away in Palazzo della Marra (Via Cialdini) climb upstairs to a loggia with sea views and on to Pinacoteca Giuseppe de Nittis (closed Mon pm), a museum dedicated to the local Impressionist artist (1846–84).

Take the SS16 north, then the SS159.

Margherita is all about salt. The town developed as a result of the salt flats that stretch along the coast north of Barletta – the salt works date as far back as the 3rd century BC. Visitors should enjoy the health benefits of the mineral salts on the beach at the Lido Terme near Lungomare Colombo. Or take the spa waters at Terme di Margherita di Savoia (Piazza Libertà 1; Apr–early Dec, closed Sat pm & Sun).

For some culture, visit the Pinacoteca Comunale Francesco Galante Civera (Corso Vittorio Emanuele; open summer, daily; winter, Mon–Fri am) in a fortified 17th-century manor. This museum is dedicated to the local early-1900s artist, Civera, known for his pictures of fishermen, and life around the salt flats.

The story of salt continues at the Museo Storico della Salina di Margherita di Savoia (Corso Vittorio Emanuele 99; 0883 657 519; www.museosalina.it; open summer, daily; winter, Mon–Fri am). The salt marshes are also great for watching ducks, waders and other birds, especially from August to March.

SP141/SS159 then SS89 north. After Manfredonia, take the SS272 left. Park at Zona Castello, Viale Madonnina, Via Carlo d’Angiò or Piazza Ciro Angelillis.

Perched on a rocky spur, the town of Monte Sant’Angelo commands great views over the surrounding Foresta Umbra. It was put on the pilgrim map after Archangel Michael was said to have appeared at a grotto here in AD 493. The Santuario di San Michele (Via Reale Basilica; open daily) has a shrine to St Michael – its bronze doors were cast in Constantinople in 1076. The building has a genuine cave chapel and other shrines including a 16th-century statue of Michael in Carrara marble and Frederick II’s 1228 Silver Cross, said to contain a piece of the True Cross. Near the grotto stands the irregularly shaped Castello Normanno Svevo Aragonese (open daily) and the large pentagonal Torre dei Giganti.

Take the SS89dirb to the coastal road SP53, then north to Vieste. Follow signs to “centro”. Park off Viale XXIV Maggio at Via Jenner/Via Enrico Fermi.

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | CASTEL DEL MONTE

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | TRANI

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | CASTEL DEL MONTE

One of Italy’s easternmost towns, Vieste is an excellent base for exploring the Gargano Promontory. The medieval clifftop town is good for a pleasant stroll, while down below visitors can relax on the beach and enjoy a full array of water sports. Vieste is also handy for the Tremiti Islands, with their sandy beaches and pretty coves.

A two-hour walking tour

Begin the walk from the car park at Via Jenner and Via Enrico Fermi. Head south towards Lungomare Enrico Mattei and turn left onto Viale Federico II di Svevia. Pass by the angular 13th-century Castello di Vieste 1 (closed). Turn right onto Piazza Castello for a sweeping vista, taking in the 26 m (85 ft) rock in the sea (said to be a fisherman petrified by grief on losing his wife) and the sandy beach Spiaggia della Scialara di Castello. On the far side of Piazza Castello, a flight of steps leads to Piazza Duomo and the 11th-century Cattedrale dell’Assunta 2 (open daily). The Madonna of Merino statue is of the city’s patron saint and the central nave has a trompe l’oeil effect.

On exiting the cathedral, turn left on Via Duomo. The Museo Civico 3 (Via Celestino V 78; closed Sun) displays archaeological finds including ceramics, arrowheads, and inscriptions from the 4th–1st centuries BC. Near the cathedral, look for Chianca Amara, a stone jutting out of a wall near some steps that was the site of beheadings during a siege in 1554. Carry on down Via Duomo. On the left the longer flight of steps leads to Via Seggio becoming Via Carlo Matrolla and Via Pola. Bear right slightly on Via San Francesco leading to the promontory Punta di San Francesco 4. The 1438 church and convent complex rises up as if carved out of the rock. Continue to the right by the park next to the sea. Return along Via Pola to the grand Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Before reaching the piazza, on the left is a museum dedicated to the mollusc. Museo Malacologico 5 (Via Pola 8; open Jun–Sep, daily) offers 11,500 specimens from “every sea on earth”. Cross to Piazzale Kennedy where the tourist information office is located and head along Viale Italia for the Giardini Pubblici di Marina Piccola 6 with views of a small island, Scoglio di Santa Eufemia, once dedicated to the goddess Venus Sosandra. To carry on down to the Porto Turistico Aurora 7, continue north. Otherwise return to the car park by heading south on Corso Tripoli, then take Via Vittorio Veneto. Conclude the visit to Vieste with an afternoon at one of its 17 beaches.

From the car park head out of town, then onto the SP52. Then take the SP52bis and follow signs for Foresta Umbra. Park near the Corpo Forestale Visitor Centre or Bar Forest.

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | VIESTE

Foresta Umbra (Shady Forest) offers visitors an ideal respite from the sun under arcades of oak, larch, maple and ash trees. From the Corpo Forestale Visitor Centre there are hiking trails into the woods – yellow signs on trees or rocks mark the paths. The forest hosts a variety of wildlife including deer, a rare wild cat (felix silvestris), tortoises, snakes and plenty of birds such as woodpeckers, owls and even an eagle or two. With more than one third of Italy’s flora, the wood is a botanist’s dream.

From the Visitor Centre take SP144 north past Vico del Gargano to the coastal SS89, then head east. Follow signs for “centro” and park on-street.

Set on a rocky cliff by the sea, Péschici was founded by Slavs around AD 970. Built onto the rocks above the coast, the 10th-century Castello di Péschici (Piazza Castello; open daily) has rooms full of medieval and Renaissance torture devices. In town, woodcarver Nicola Priaci (located near the terrace by Torre Callalunga) makes objects carved from a variety of woods. On the coastal spur east of town, dine al fresco next to a trabocco. Further east, watchtowers dot the coast, such as Torre Calalunga on the highest point between Cala Lunga and Baia di Turco.

Return to SS89 west to Lido del Sole then the SP41 and SP40 to Lésina.

The sparsely inhabited coastal area, unspoiled beaches and nature attract surprisingly few visitors to Lido del Sole. The drive from Lido del Sole to Lésina crosses a flat, sandy narrow strip of land with pine forests barely separating the Adriatic Sea from Lago di Varano. Swimmers opt for the long deserted stretches of beach on the opposite side of the road with several camp sites. Back on the mainland at Torre Mileto, the next strip of land that separates the sea from Lago di Lésina is so thin it is not open to car traffic. The road skirts to the south of the lake. Bird-watching is best in winter when the bird population is greater. Lésina is the main town next to the lake and still retains some of its medieval core.

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | VIESTE

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | VIESTE

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | VIESTE

Trip 19: The Gargano Promontory | VIESTE