The Tremiti archipelago consists of three main islands and a rock, called the Cretaccio. It is about 20 km from the coast of Puglia, just north of the Gargano promontory. During the winter residents about 400 inhabitants, but in summer the archipelago is a destination for many tourists, attracted by the beauty of the sea and by its landscape. The islands have a jagged coastline rich of small creeks and caves and they are characterized by a lush vegetation still uncontaminated. Indeed this area is part of the Natural Park of Gargano.
In ancient times the islands were called Diomedeae, in honor of the hero Diomede, which according to legend was buried here after the fall of Troy. The archipelago was for a long time an important stopover commercial for the Greeks, while the Romany it used primarily as a place of exile. In the ninth century Benedictine monks built the first abbey, which quickly reached a significant advance. With the arrival of the Bourbon, Tremiti islands became a penal colony. Only at the end of the Second World War it became a tourist destination, which is now known throughout the world.
San Domino is the largest island of the archipelago and the most beautiful natural point of view. The territory is partly cultivated with vineyards and olive groves and is partly covered by a beautiful pine forest. The island has jagged and rocky coastline, with many sea caves that you can admire with boat trips. The island is reachable from the mainland by ferry, landing at the Cala Arenas, the only real sandy beach of Tremiti. From here begins a road that crosses through the pine forest and leads to the town, where there are bars, restaurants, shops and several hotels.
The island of San Nicola is the smallest by extension, but historically the most important of Tremiti. Here is, in fact, the monastery of Santa Maria al Mare, built in 1405 on the ruins of an ancient church. Inside there are works of art of great value and the floor is covered by a large mosaic. The island of Capraia is completely uninhabited and it presents an almost savage landscape, which makes it much appreciated by nature lovers. At the centre of the archipelago is finally the rock of Cretaccio, which has an area of only 4 hectares.
