The Gargano is the Italian peninsula known as the spur of the Italian boot. It projects into the Adriatic Sea from Apulia, on Italy’s southeast coast, creating the familiar boot-shaped outline.
Gargano is more than a narrow coastal strip: it is a broad, mountainous promontory whose uplands form a distinct geographic region in the province of Foggia. Much of the area lies within Gargano National Park, established in 1991, and includes the ancient Foresta Umbra woodland.
A common mix-up is to choose Calabria, which forms the toe of the boot, or Salento, which occupies much of the heel. Gargano is the spur; the nearby Tremiti Islands are also geographically associated with the region. Its highest summit, Monte Calvo, reaches about 1,065 metres.