That endless succession of caves and coves in the Gargano

You set sail from the long beach at Gattarella, where the green of the pine trees seems to blend into the sea. The view loses none of its intensity even as Skipper Antonio Ugliola’s boat moves away from the coast and the resort’s little houses seem to disappear several miles offshore. The entirely sandy seabed, no deeper than a dozen metres, reflects the brilliant colour of the Aleppo pines, these incredible botanical climbers that cling to every edge of the long, slender spur jutting out into the Adriatic, as if seeking to reunite with neighbouring Croatia. The first stop is the unmistakable Architiello di San Felice with its enchanting bay, where for the past few years a graceful flock of migratory ducks has spent the summer. And so begins a succession of caves: first the Sfondata, then the ‘Dei due occhi’ (Cave of the Two Eyes), characterised by twin openings through which the sky seems to peer down at the canoeists venturing in to admire it, followed by the Grotta dei Contrabbandieri and the Grotta Campana. The bays where you can drop anchor during this tour are each irresistible in their own way: there is the harrowing beauty of Cala della Sanguinara, which, according to folk tales, was stained with the blood of the people of Vieste fleeing the ferocity of the Ottoman admiral Dragut Rais. A little further on stands Torre dell’Aglio, built on a 100-metre-high promontory to guard the natural inlet still known today as Porto Greco in memory of the ancient trade routes. Heading towards Mattinata, you come to the famous Baia di Pugnochiuso, where Enrico Mattei, who used to visit the Santa Tecla hunting estate above, built the Hotel del Faro. Just before reaching Mattinata, you come to the spectacular Vignanotica Bay, dominated by a stark white, steep cliff face 30 metres high – a sort of dazzling cathedral of nature, formed from layers of limestone and flint. The tour concludes at Baia delle Zagare, a stunning bay with its sea stacks and panoramic lifts, before treating yourself to the exquisite mature cheeses of Francesco Cafagna, who founded the brand La Puglia Segreta and works with selected cheese dairies in the Gargano region.