Everyone knows that Italy is a boot. Many people know that the boot has a heel – the rocky, sunburnt region of Puglia. Perhaps a few know that the heel has a spur – the Gargano Peninsula. Yet virtually no one knows that the Gargano hides a magical woodland – the Foresta Umbra – a national park and treasure. And one of a dozen or more Italian parklands that are practically unvisited by foreign tourists.
Puglia is studded with eerie and beautiful castles, allegedly possessed of occult properties
My intention is to do a walking tour of the Gargano, kindly organised by a British travel company, who will ferry my luggage from hotel to hotel, and provide me with maps and picnics – so all I have to do is put one foot in front of the other, with handy compass points on a detailed guide, to make sure I don’t fall in the Adriatic.
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in