Tremiti Islands
Piero: is the van parked safely?
Angela: why? Have you lost your desire to travel?
Piero: absolutely not! No way… I have an idea for a wonderful excursion during our stay in Gargano.
Angela: so, no van this time. We’ll need another way to get there. No trains or planes, because there aren’t any in the Gargano area… so that leaves the sea.
Piero: exactly! We’re going to discover one of the most fascinating archipelagos in the world: the Tremiti Islands.
Angela: how wonderful! Let’s go, then…
The Adriatic pearls
Piero: Lucio Dalla, who was deeply in love with the Tremiti Islands and spent many of his summers here, used to suggest “taking a journey of knowledge, to rebuild the historical memory of the archipelago, which over the centuries has been the protagonist of important events. These islands are so rich in history, culture and legends that they are worth discovering in order to fully appreciate them.” And with this invitation—one that perfectly reflects the spirit that accompanies us on all our journeys—we are ready to enjoy this special day.
Angela: the archipelago is made up of five islands. San Nicola, the municipal seat and the historic heart of the archipelago, where the main monuments are located; San Domino, the largest and most populated island, home to most tourist facilities thanks to the presence of the only sandy beach in the archipelago, Cala delle Arene; Capraia, also known as Caprara or Capperaia, the second largest island and completely uninhabited; Pianosa, a rocky plateau also uninhabited and located about twenty kilometres away from the other islands; and Cretaccio, a large clay rock formation just a short distance from San Domino and San Nicola.
Piero: the Tremiti Islands are an archipelago located about 22 kilometres north of Gargano and 45 kilometres east of Termoli. They form an independent municipality with fewer than 500 inhabitants and are part of the Gargano National Park. Since 1989, part of their territory has been protected as the Tremiti Islands Marine Nature Reserve. The archipelago can be reached from Manfredonia, Vieste, Peschici, Rodi Garganico, and Termoli, the only departure point offering connections with the mainland throughout the year.
Angela: inhabited since the 4th–3rd century BC, the islands were for centuries mainly a place of exile. During Roman times, when they were known as the Trimerus Islands, Emperor Augustus sent his granddaughter Julia into exile here, where she died after twenty years of forced residence. Charlemagne later exiled Paul the Deacon to the islands, although he managed to escape. In 1911, around 1,300 Libyan prisoners who had opposed the Italian colonial occupation were deported here. Finally, during the Fascist era, the future President of the Italian Republic Sandro Pertini was also sent into confinement on the archipelago, together with hundreds of political opponents, homosexuals and Jewish people persecuted by the regime.
Piero: but the history of the archipelago is not only linked to those who were imprisoned here. It is above all connected to the story of the Abbey of Santa Maria a Mare, often called the “Monte Cassino in the middle of the sea.” According to legend, this place of worship was founded by a hermit who settled here after a vision of the Virgin Mary. Benedictines and Cistercians increased its spiritual importance, which became intertwined with history and politics through the construction of fortifications and the many attacks and courageous defences that took place on these shores.
Angela: another fascinating chapter is the one linking the islands to Libya. Following the 1911 deportations, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, during one of the many moments of political tension between Italy and Libya, claimed in 1987 that the archipelago should be annexed to Libya. In the same year, a failed attack against the San Domino lighthouse by two Swiss citizens led many to suspect a Libyan connection. One of the attackers was killed by the bomb itself, while the other was captured and sentenced. However, the trial never provided definitive answers. Some journalistic investigations suggested possible links with foreign intelligence services, connected to the political tensions of that period. To definitively clarify whether there was any connection with the Libyan deportees of 1911, in 2008 around thirty island residents voluntarily underwent DNA testing. The results were negative.
Piero: I almost forgot! Did you know that the Tremiti Islands are also known as the Diomedean Islands?
Angela: of course! Mythology makes these islands even more fascinating.
Piero: according to legend, the islands were created by the Greek hero Diomedes, who threw three stones into the sea that he had carried with him from Troy. Mysteriously, those stones resurfaced in the form of islands. From the Tremiti, the hero then moved to Gargano, searching for more fertile lands, where he married the daughter of the Daunian king. Legend also says that Diomedes died in the Puglian archipelago and that his tomb is located precisely on San Nicola.
Discovering San Nicola!
Angela: early in the morning, we leave Vieste and head towards San Nicola. The ferry ride is comfortable and takes about one hour. Even the approach to the island gives us a first glimpse of just how extraordinary these islands truly are.
Piero: we will spend the morning exploring San Nicola and the Abbey of Santa Maria a Mare.
Angela: we arrive early in the morning, and from the small harbour, the island immediately seems to take us back in time. There is a feeling that this paradise was truly made for meditation and contemplation. We head towards the terrace above the port, where a breathtaking panorama opens before us.
Piero: from here, we begin the climb towards the sanctuary, walking along Via Diomede, which is essentially the only real street on the island.
Angela: the abbey is part of a magnificent complex of buildings surrounded by fortifications, including defensive structures such as the Torrione dei Cavalieri di San Nicola, built to protect this strategic and sacred place.
Piero: the façade of the Abbey of Santa Maria a Mare was built using the famous white stone of Puglia. The marks left by cannonballs are still visible, reminders of the bombardments carried out by the British fleet when, in the 18th century, during the Napoleonic era, the archipelago was occupied by the forces of Joachim Murat.
Angela: the interior of Santa Maria a Mare is truly fascinating. The floor is decorated with a magnificent 11th-century mosaic, and the different rooms preserve many precious works of art, including the extraordinary hand-carved and inlaid wooden artefact from the 15th century, created by highly skilled craftsmen from Venice.
Piero: towers, walls, cloisters, and ancient paths offer breathtaking views at every turn.
Angela: beyond the defensive structures lies the archaeological area known as “Il Pianoro”, where the presumed tomb of Diomedes is located.
Piero: at the far end of the island, we find the very atmospheric Christian cemetery, as well as the memorial cemetery dedicated to the Libyan deportees we mentioned earlier.
Angela: finally, don't miss the monastery cloister, located next to the abbey, with its ancient well made from stone blocks. It once served as a water supply point for the nearby Benedictine monks.
Piero: finally, we reach the Torrione del Cavaliere del Crocifisso and the Badiali Castle, from where we enjoy the most spectacular view of the entire island.
The Tremiti by boat
Angela: after finishing our visit to the abbey, we head back towards the harbour, where we enjoy a quick lunch of bread, tomatoes, fresh fish and capers.
Piero: refreshed and recharged, we find our skipper waiting for us at the pier with the dinghy we rented for the entire afternoon.
Angela: it was definitely the right choice. Although slightly more expensive than joining one of the organised group boats, it allowed us to explore the islands at our own pace and stop wherever we wanted.
Piero: from San Nicola, we move towards the nearby San Domino, quickly reaching one of the island's most beautiful coves: Cala Matano.
Angela: we only move a short distance and suddenly spot a magnificent rock formation shaped like an animal: it is the Elephant Rock, so called because it resembles a huge pachyderm resting on the shore, with its trunk stretching out towards the sea.
Piero: the water is clear and crystal blue, so we take the opportunity for a refreshing swim. Our skipper entertains us with stories, myths, and historical tales of these islands —the very stories we are trying to bring back to life in this journey. He explains that these are among the cleanest waters in the Mediterranean, so pure that, if you fill a bottle with seawater, it is almost impossible to distinguish it from drinking water.
Angela: we now set sail to discover the most beautiful sea caves of the archipelago. We begin with the Cave of Violets, so called because in spring its walls are covered with flowers, including ambretta, cineraria, and centaurium. We then reach the Bue Marino Cave, famous for the fluorescent colour of its waters and once inhabited by monk seals. Finally, we arrive at the Rondinelle Cave, named after the swallows that nest inside its rocky walls.
Piero: near the Bue Marino Cave stands the San Domino Lighthouse, the one connected to the famous attempted attack we mentioned earlier. Today, the lighthouse is no longer in operation, but it remains a fascinating landmark, watching silently over this stretch of coast and its crystal-clear waters.
Angela: we finish our boat tour with the Pagliai Cave and then sail along the rocky cliffs of Cretaccio, before returning once again in front of San Nicola.
Piero: we take one last swim in a sheltered cove beneath the cliffs of San Nicola. In this bay, it is not uncommon to encounter schools of small fish, which gather here to find protection from larger predators.
Angela: before returning to the harbour, we make one last stop in the marine park to admire the statue of Padre Pio, a three-metre-high sculpture placed thirteen metres deep between Cretaccio and San Nicola. Thanks to the clarity of the water, it can even be seen from the surface.
Piero: unfortunately, we cannot reach Pianosa, the most distant of the islands. But perhaps this is simply another reason to come back one day…
Goodbye Tremiti!
Angela: I truly believe it is almost impossible to describe in words the beauty we have witnessed, and above all the emotions we experienced.
Piero: I honestly think this is one of the most beautiful places we have visited so far. One of those places that must be experienced before it can be described or photographed.
Angela: but it is definitely worth reliving this wonderful journey through this short video!
