All About Peschici
Situated on the edge of the peninsula, Peschici is a small port and resort village in the Foggia province in Apulia. As part of Gargano National Park, the town’s cliffside location creates an imposing scene as Perchici’s traditional houses and medieval castle rise admirably over land and sea.
The town’s initial development and origin of its name go back to the 10th century when Otto I of Saxony sent Salv soldiers here to protect the region from the Saracens. The following centuries saw the city remain a vital stronghold, with rulers strengthening its walls and allowing entry only via three gates. The village eventually came under the Kingdom of Naples, up until 1861, when it became a part of Italy.
A popular tourist destination, Peschici now offers its visitors some truly unique experiences, from the rustic appeal of the Trabucco, a nod towards the region’s fishing community, to the historical importance of the Saracen towers. As a result, travelers visiting Peschici enjoy a captivating vacation brimming with culture, culinary findings, and endless days spent lounging on gorgeous sandy beaches.
Routes and Ferries to Peschici
Peschici is the leading travel port for passengers wanting to visit the Tremiti Islands. Boats to San Nicola, operated by Gruppo Armatori Garganici, sail seven days a week during the high season. The journey typically lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes one way. Ferry tickets to Peschici for this route are available through Ferryscanner and cost €16.99 on average.
If arriving by plane, the closest airports to Peschici are in Pescara or Bari. You can then hire a car for the remainder of the trip. Otherwise, the bus from Bari Airport takes roughly four hours. When planning to travel by train to Peschici, you’ll first have to get off at San Severo station. After that, take the train to San Menaio, followed by a short bus ride to Peschici.
Port of Peschici
The Port of Peschici dates back to the 13th century when the harbor was primarily a shipping yard used to make wooden boats. Upgraded to help moor fishing boats in the 1930s, the port has been a significant player in helping increase tourism since the 1980s. Sheltered by a curved breakwater and an extended dock, the harbor is small but serves the village well. It offers most port facilities and even has a crane on-site. Nowadays, besides fishing boats, it welcomes tourists arriving with ferry tickets to Peschici from the Tremiti Islands during the summer.
Best Beaches in Peschici
Sprinkled with dreamy coastal escapes, the entire shoreline of the promontory in the Foggia province is a beachgoer’s dream come true. The beaches in Peschici and nearby are no different. They offer visitors the opportunity to have a whale of a time, eating, drinking, swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing.
Baia di Peschici
The village’s only harbor is where you disembark when using return ferry tickets to Peschici for boats from San Nicola. Next to the port is the town’s main sandy beach featuring both free and equipped areas. The latter is from where you can rent sunbeds and parasols. A wide beach, entry into the water here is shallow and gradual, ideal for children to play without worry. Located next to the center, there’s parking nearby as well as plenty of bars and restaurants. Expectedly, the beach stays exceptionally crowded during the tourist-heavy summer months.
Spiaggia di Calenelle
A 15-minute drive from the town’s center will bring you to the large Calenelle Beach, located next to a campsite. There’s both paid and free parking available, yet the beach remains, or rather seems, relatively uncrowded during the summer. A good spot for families, the seabed here is sandy and safe for kids. Most notably, the strip has ample free space to lie down on a towel. However, there are lidos on-site that rent out sun loungers and umbrellas.
Spiaggia di Murgia della Madonna
An unblemished raw beach without any facilities, Murgia della Madonna is one of the lesser-known beaches in Peschici, about 15 minutes from the port. Backed by hills, it has a rural environment and is also among the very few rock and sand beaches in the region. Access to the strand requires a short walk from the car park. However, the water is refreshingly cool with a seabed that slopes down gradually. This thin strip is typically favored by nudists, except on weekends when there tend to be more people around.
Spiaggia di Procinisco
Procinisco is a small, sandy, lively beach with a hilly backdrop, paid parking, toilets, showers, and a restaurant. You must drive down a narrow, steep road to reach here, but it’s definitely worth it. Most of the beach is private, with a tiny free area on one side. The restaurant offers both gazebos and sunbeds, which rent for around €20 in August. Parking is another €3. The food at the restaurant is good, and for sunseekers who don’t mind paying to lounge, Procinisco is the optimal beach to visit near Peschici.
Spiaggia di Zaiana
This broad but short sandy strip is one of the best beaches in Foggia. Locked between two rocky outcrops, it provides unlimited access to the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea. Busy during the summer, it has a shallow entry into the water and presents visitors with the chance to enjoy sports like kayaking and surfing. The equipped area of the beach has sunbeds and umbrellas for €20, whereas parking here costs €5 for the day. Although Zaiana has a restaurant on the strip, you can also visit Il Trabucco da Elia close by for a traditional fisherman’s meal.
Things To Do in Peschici
When indulging in the best things to do in Peschici, travelers get to immerse themselves in the local culinary heritage, regional beauty, and the town’s historical eccentricities.
Dine at Ristorante Al Trabucco da Mimi
One of the most inimitable things to do in Peschici is to have a meal at a Trabucco. It’s a traditional fishing contraption, and there are still a few of them found along the coast of Abruzzo and Gargano. Fishermen once used this Aleppo pine wood-made device to catch fish, using a large net hung over the water from a rocky ridge. At Mimi’s Trabucco, you savor the freshest seafood while experiencing Peschici’s fishing legacy. Featuring rustic interiors and endless sea views, the family-owned and operated eatery only opens from April to October. Try the clam pasta, fried anchovies, and grilled seabass when dining here. Most Trabucco in the area stay very busy, and it is advisable to make a booking in advance.
Stroll Around Umbra Forest
For a family day in nature, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Umbra Forest, 40 minutes away from Peschici. Spread over 10,000 hectares, it covers a majority of the Gargano promontory. Moreover, the reserve is home to myriad flora and fauna, from wild boars, foxes, wolves, and birds to giant holm oaks, beech trees, and over 2000 plant species. While at Umbra, you can head out on one of its marked walking trails or ride e-bikes. Children will especially relish the opportunity to feed fallow deer that roam the grounds.
Explore the Streets of Old Town Peschici
Quaint and quite honestly the highlight of any visit, the village’s old town is a charming maze of narrow alleyways filled with surprises galore. Therefore, wandering around the historic center is one of the top things to do in Peschici, with each corner promising something colorful and new. Once there, you’ll soon get to experience and witness artisanal stores, local eateries, traditional domed houses, and small nooks that grant the most spectacular panoramic views.
Visit Castello Medioevale di Peschici
Among the main things to do in Peschici is an excursion to the town’s hilltop medieval castle. Built by Normans in the 10th century and resorted multiple times thereafter, it stands magnificently on the cliff, looking over the city and out into the sea. While its exterior and interiors are impressive, the Torture Museum inside is its biggest attraction. Herein, you’ll find various ancient tools and devices used over centuries to inflict pain and punish people. The castle stays open only from June to September and has an admission fee of €4 per adult.
Tour the Saracen Towers
Take a tour along the coast, from Vieste to Peschici, and you’ll come across many Saracen towers. Built in the 16th century to keep watch out for pirates, their construction allowed soldiers to quickly and easily communicate about any oncoming threat. Today, the towers stand at scenic locations as a testament to the region’s armed past and as vantage points highlighting its inherent beauty. A 20-minute drive away, Torre Calalunga is one of the towers nearest to Peschici and a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.
Transportation Around Peschici
You’ll find that the most convenient way to discover the hidden charms of Peschici is to wander around the village on foot. In particular, the historic center, with its hilltop location and narrow streets. Moreover, with the port next to the center, passengers arriving with ferry tickets to Peschici have walkable access to hotels, restaurants, and shops upon disembarking.
A car is helpful only if you plan to travel to nearby sandy shorelines or equally fascinating towns such as Vieste, Rodi Garganico, and the like. Alternatively, one can call private taxis that offer transfer services to beaches, nearby villages, train stations, and airports.
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