The route planner · Updated April 2026
Getting to the Gargano
Fly to Bari, rent a car, drive 2.5 hours. Everything else is a compromise.
Getting there
Flying to Bari Karol Wojtyła (BRI).
Bari is the primary gateway. International airport, car rental desks in the terminal, motorway to the Gargano right outside. Foggia also has an airport (Gino Lisa) but barely any scheduled flights — ignore it.
From the US & Canada
No direct flights. Connect through Rome Fiumicino (FCO) or Milan Malpensa (MXP), then a short domestic hop to Bari. Rome is the better connection — more frequency, shorter transit, and Bari is closer.
Alternative: fly to Rome and take the high-speed train to Foggia (3 hours), then drive or bus to the Gargano. Saves the second flight but adds time.
From the UK
Direct flights from multiple airports. Low-cost carriers keep prices reasonable — £30–80 each way if you book early.
| Route | Airline | Frequency | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Stansted → Bari | Ryanair | Daily | Year-round |
| London Gatwick → Bari | easyJet | 4–7/week | Year-round |
| London Luton → Bari | Wizz Air | 3–4/week | Year-round |
| Manchester → Bari | Ryanair | 2–3/week | Apr–Oct |
| Bristol → Bari | Ryanair | 2/week | May–Oct |
| Edinburgh → Bari | Ryanair | 2/week | Jun–Sep |
Flight time: 2.5–3 hours. Book carry-on only for the cheapest fares — you don't need hold luggage for a week in the sun.
From Europe
Germany
Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich — Ryanair, Eurowings, Wizz Air
France
Paris Beauvais — Ryanair. Otherwise connect via Rome
Switzerland
Basel, Geneva, Zurich — Ryanair, easyJet (seasonal)
Netherlands
Eindhoven — Ryanair. Amsterdam via Rome or Milan
Spain
Barcelona, Madrid — Ryanair (seasonal)
Scandinavia
No direct. Connect via Rome, Milan, or a German hub
Poland
Kraków, Warsaw Modlin, Katowice — Ryanair, Wizz Air
From within Italy
Foggia tip
Foggia is the closest rail gateway to the Gargano — closer than Bari by an hour. If you're already in Italy and travelling by train, aim for Foggia, not Bari.
The drive
Bari to the Gargano.
North on the A14 motorway, exit at Foggia, then local roads into the peninsula. Straightforward, well-signed, mostly dual carriageway until you reach the coast.
1h 45m
Manfredonia
Southern gateway
2h
Monte Sant’Angelo
Mountain town, UNESCO
2h
Mattinata
First coastal town
2h 15m
Rodi Garganico
North coast, ferries
2h 30m
Peschici
Clifftop old town
2h 30–3h
Vieste
Largest resort town
Car rental
What to expect
Insurance tips
Decline the desk upsell. Buy standalone excess insurance online before you arrive — £3–5/day covers everything including tyres and glass.
Photograph every scratch, dent, and chip before you leave the car park. Email the photos to the rental company from the lot. Timestamps are your proof.
Small cars. The coast road is narrow and parking in old towns is tight. A Fiat 500 or Panda is ideal. Don't rent an SUV.
Without a car?
Puglia Airbus runs a direct Bari Airport → Gargano service, June to September. Four departures per day. Around €20. Gets you to Vieste in about 3 hours.
The scenic route
SP53 — the coast road.
50 km from Mattinata to Peschici. Budget 1.5–2 hours. Constantly compared to the Amalfi Coast, and it's a fair comparison — cliffs, hairpins, sea views — except with a fraction of the traffic. In September you might not see another car for ten minutes.
The road
Narrow. No guardrails in places. Blind hairpins. One lane in spots with passing places. Not difficult, just slow. Small cars only.
Fuel
No petrol stations on this stretch. Fill up in Mattinata or Vieste before you start. The nearest fuel is off the road entirely.
Inland alternative
The Foresta Umbra road cuts through the interior — faster, wider, no cliffs. Useful if you're in a hurry or nervous about the coast road.
Warning: beach parking
Car break-ins happen at isolated beach parking spots along the coast road, especially at Baia delle Zagare and Vignanotica. Don't leave valuables visible. Take bags with you to the beach.
Public transport
Trains and buses.
It works. It's just slow. The Gargano isn't on the high-speed network — you take the fast train to Foggia, then switch to regional services.
High-speed train to Foggia (Trenitalia Frecciarossa / Italo)
Foggia into the Gargano
Ferrovie del Gargano (train)
Foggia → San Severo → San Nicandro → Rodi Garganico → Peschici
Narrow-gauge regional line. Runs along the north coast. Roughly 2 hours from Foggia to Peschici. A few departures per day. The train itself is part of the experience.
Trenitalia (train)
Foggia → Manfredonia
Regional service, about 40 minutes. Connects to the southern entrance of the Gargano. From Manfredonia you need a bus or taxi onward.
Buses exist (SITA Sud, Ferrovie del Gargano bus) but are slow and infrequent outside summer. Timetables change seasonally and rarely match the website. Check at the Foggia bus station on the day.
By sea
Ferries to the Tremiti Islands.
San Domino, San Nicola, Capraia. Three islands about 20 km off the north coast. Crystal water, marine reserve, no cars on the islands. A day trip or a few nights.
| From | Duration | Season | Price (return) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodi Garganico | 1h 15m | May–Sep | €23–25 |
| Vieste | 1h 50m | Apr–Sep | €25–30 |
| Termoli (Molise) | 1h | Year-round | €20–26 |
| Manfredonia | 3h | Jul–Sep | €12 |
August
Book ahead. Ferries sell out days in advance, especially morning departures. Rodi is the most popular departure point — book as soon as you have dates.
Honest answer
Do you need a car?
Yes.
Buses are infrequent and don't reach beaches, restaurants, or inland towns. Without a car you're stuck in one place, waiting for a connection that might come in two hours or might not come at all. The Gargano is not Cinque Terre — there's no train hopping between villages.
If you really won't drive
Base yourself in Vieste. It's the largest town with the most services.
Use boat trips for the coast — several operators run daily excursions from the harbour.
Accept you'll miss the inland: Monte Sant'Angelo, Foresta Umbra, the masserie.
Driving tips
Petrol
Self-service pumps (fai da te) are cheaper than attended. Many close on Sunday afternoons. Fill up when you can, especially before the coast road.
ZTL cameras
Zona Traffico Limitato. Old town centres are restricted — cameras photograph your plate and a €80–100 fine arrives months later. Look for the round red sign with a white centre. Vieste and Peschici old towns have active ZTL zones.
Parking colours
White lines — free. Blue lines — paid (buy a ticket from the meter or tabacchi). Yellow lines — reserved (residents, disabled, loading). Don't park on yellow.
Speed limits
50 km/h in towns. 90 km/h on secondary roads. 110 km/h on dual carriageways. 130 km/h on motorways. Speed cameras are common on the A14. Rental companies forward fines automatically.