Gargano has the highest degree of biodiversity in Italy.
This part of Apulia is made by mountains and hills which fall into the Adriatic sea.
Gargano is visited by Italians and foreigners who actually love practising sports such as biking, trekking, running, swimming and canoeing.
Neither cars nor factories are around. Therefore, air is not poisoned by any kind of pollution.
Additionally, Mattinata is pretty much isolated: the closest towns are both Manfredonia and Monte Sant'Angelo, which are far about 20 km.
Heading to Mattinata I leave at my back Manfredonia. I see Monte Sant'Angelo on the left.
Before arriving at the tunnel which leads to Mattinata, I turn on the left because of works in progress held in the tunnel itself.
This is a panoramic road. Like a snake it climbs on Monte Saraceno.
After few kilometres, I notice Mattinata, a bunch of white houses laid on a green carpet of olive trees.
I'm currently on the top of Monte Saraceno, which takes its name by a Saracen settlement dating back to the 10th century A.D.
I have already been here, moreover, it's a little bit late so I prefer to avoid to stop by. I look forward to arrive at Monte Sacro.
In order to reach Monte Sacro, you take the third exits for Mattinata.
There are a lot of signals for Monte Sacro, so it'd be difficult to miss it.
I decide to take a break, and go to cheer up Carlo, a schoolmate who actually runs the only pharmacy (farmacia Sansone) present in Mattinata.
His pharmacy hosts a permanent exhibition of archaeological items of Daunians.
Among them, you notice a stele dauna. It's free entry and I'd strongly recommend you to view it.
"Mind to park within the Monte Sacro B&B. Just to avoid that someone opens your car seeking for money" Carlo warns.
I say goodbye and resume my trip.
Monte Sacro is set 874 metres above the sea, one of the highest mountain of Gargano.
I keep driving, slowly though.
After 15 minutes, I come across a shepherd who's watching a pack goat.
Goats look sinister, probably due to their horns. Humans have ever since symbolised Satan with a goat face with two barbed horns.
Nevertheless, they have a humble sight.
"Excuse me, sir. Could you please tell me where to park my car in a safe place? You know, I'd like to view the ancient abbey of Monte Saraceno?". I address him.
"Yes, sure. Follow me by car" he says.
He gets on his car. We move 200 metres further.
He says "I'll accompany you on foot for a little while as I have to go to see one of my cows which has given birth yesterday night".
I'm glad to have his company.
He seems a nice guy.
"You know" He says "I make caciocavalli, in case you are interested".
I'd have liked to buy one as they must be delicious.
However, I haven't brought enough cash, so I have to renounce his proposal.
While hiking I recognize few kinds of orchids.
They look great, and smell really good.
Mattinata is getting famous in Europe because of the wild orchids.
"English, Russians, Swisses and others come here to admire orchids" the shepherd says.
In 2014, Angela Rossini and Giovanni Quitadamo have published a book called Orchidee spontanee del Parco Nazionale del Gargano (edited by Grenzi).
The book is meant to illustrate the wide range of orchids which flourish here.
Mattinata hosts 60 of the 88 species of orchids which blossom in Gargano.
According to the mentioned book, the National park of Gargano is leader in Europe in this green parade.
This record testify the uniqueness of this environment.
I keep climbing for almost 1,5 kilometres. I hear just birds twittering and leaves falling down. There is no noise.
I begin to feel the strain. This is a good exercise, though.
To give you an idea around the effort required, keep in mind that the difference in height from the starting point till the peak is around 250 metres.
After 30 minutes, I arrive at a level ground.
I keep walking.
Suddenly, from the bush a magnificent building reveals itself as a dream, something unreal.
This is one of the best example of Romanico Pugliese architecture.
The abbey of Monte Sacro was ruled by the monastic order of Benedettini. the Abbey reached its best led by Gregorio, a monk of great culture who has written De hominum deificatione.
The abbey had one of the richest library of the Apulia medieval.
Its archive was moved to Siponto, then destroyed by the Ottomans in 1620.
Most probably the abbey had had a scriptorium too.
The incredible thing is that the abbey was built on a preexisting pagan temple dedicated to Zeus Dodoneus.
In fact, Monte Sacro was previously called Monte Dodoneo.
Frankly, it's sad to see this wonderful abbey neglected and partly destroyed.
Hopefully, in the future this magic place will resuscitate, like it happened for the abbey of Pulsano and the one of San Leonardo.
I feel reinvigorated after this astonishing tour.
It's 1 pm. It's still early.
Therefore, I descend the mountain, and go straight to the beach to swim.
There a lots of nice beaches on the coast.
I decide to head to the port, where is located a Roman villa, used to store olive oil and wine.
The sea is wonderful in Mattinata.
Gargano is a continent on small scale.
Come here, you won't be disappointed.
Ps.
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