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Italy's 'Most Overlooked' Coast Is a Quiet Alternative to Cinque Terre—With Hidden Caves, Beachside Villages, and Michelin Dining

Over the past decade, the southern Italian region of Puglia (the heel of the boot) has come onto the radar in a major way, but most visitors gravitate toward the Valle d'Itria, a series of towns including Alberobello, Ostuni, Monopoli, and Polignano a Mare, where many of the region's luxury hotels are concentrated. Some travelers head further south, into the Salento Peninsula, which is known for some of the most beautiful beaches in the region. Few venture north of Bari to the Gargano Peninsula, a promontory jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, which is home to the most extensive national park in Italy. And according to International Living, the Gargano Peninsula is a perfect alternative for Cinque Terre. "Encompassing mountain trails and five seaside towns, like the Cinque Terre, it also holds UNESCO World Heritage status and a national park," Valerie Fortney-Schneider, an International Living contributor, told Travel + Leisure . "With blissful vistas, rocky towns tumbling to the sea, sprawling beaches, hidden coves, and loads of outdoor adventure, the Gargano may actually surpass the Cinque Terre in offerings and variety of beaches and diversity of scenery. What's better is that it doesn't draw the crowds, except in August." Zoe Shapiro, a T+L A-List Travel Advisor and CEO of Stellavision Travel, who organizes trips to the area, said this region is a hidden gem. 'I would call it the most overlooked coast in Italy, because the coastline is absolutely spectacular," Shapiro told T+L. The turquoise waters around the Gargano Shapiro wouldn't call Gargano a dupe for the much more colorful—and much more crowded—Cinque Terre, she would; however, absolutely recommend visiting the peninsula on a road trip in Puglia or through southern Italy, starting in Rome or Naples and crossing the Apennine Mountains. According to Shapiro, the best way to experience the coast, which is full of hidden coves and caves, is to go for a boat ride with a local captain who knows the area well. 'I think about times where I've done that in Ischia or Capri and seen different coves and caves, and they're beautiful. The ones in Gargano exceed that,' Shapiro said. 'The captain I was with in my little dinghy would pull up right onto the pebble beach within a huge, cavernous cave, and I would hop out and go swimming. It was just amazing.' She recommended staying at Gattarella, a family-run resort with a private beach club about a 10-minute drive from the historic center of Vieste, one of the most charming towns in the area. This medieval village was built onto a cliff overlooking the sea, where you can get lost in the narrow lanes amidst crumbling buildings where laundry dangles on clotheslines. On the beach, you can admire a massive limestone sea stack called Pizzomunno and learn about the romantic legend attached to it. In the charming village of Peschici, Shapiro recommended dining at the Michelin-starred restaurant Porta di Basso and the more casual Al Trabucco da Mimì. '​​It's an old trabucco [fishing hut] that has been converted into a restaurant, so you're literally eating while hovering over the water,' she says. Another town Shapiro recommended visiting is Monte Sant'Angelo, which is designated one of the Borghi Più Belli d'Italia (most beautiful villages in Italy) and is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites. According to legend, this is where the Archangel Michael set out on his pilgrimage and the town originates in the cave that houses a shrine dedicated to him.