Monte Sant’Angelo is Apulia’s cultural capital this year.
A destination for pilgrims from all over the world
This little town in Apulia is unique for many reasons: not only does it have two UNESCO sites, but an archangel chose it as his earthly home. The archangel is Michael and his home is Monte Sant'Angelo which has the Sanctuary of Saint Michael Archangel. This grotto church, where the archangel is believed to have appeared, is one of the town’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a destination for pilgrims from all over the world. And now the town is in the spotlight as the Apulia region’s Cultural Capital 2024.
Monte Sant’Angelo is in the Gargano National Park
Monte Sant’Angelo also has an enchanted forest of thousand-year-old trees - a true nature sanctuary - which is the little town’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the Gargano National Park the town is about 35 miles from Foggia which is a key transportation hub, offering various services, amenities, and connections to other parts of Italy. 
ph credits: Matteo Nuzziello
Not far from the Adriatic seaboard
For nature lovers the Gargano National Park offers numerous trails for hiking and nature walks and has a wide variety of flora and fauna, as well as panoramic views of the Adriatic Sea and the splendid Gargano Peninsula. Worth visiting are the 11th-century Norman Castle and the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Maggiore with its stunning Byzantine frescoes.
A summer packed with events
This summer sees the UNESCO awards being celebrated with a programme of music, comedy, contemporary art, theatre, cinema, poetry, food and wine that will draw visitors from all over the world. On Saturday 6 July "A Night in the Forest” will feature food tastings and a night walk, and on Sunday 7 July the “Walk of the Two UNESCO Sites, from the forest to the sanctuary, will be both on foot and by e-bike. On Tuesday 6 August Daniele Silvestri, one of Italy's most popular singer-songwriters, will entertain visitors and on 28 September it will be the turn of Nino Frassica, one of Italy’s best-loved comedians.
ph credits Monica Giardina
A symposium on the Via Francigena
Contemporary art will feature in the iconic exhibition by Michelangelo Pistoletto, and from July to October the Cultural Residences will feature theatre, cinema, and poetry, ending on 18-20 October with the European Assembly of the Vie Francigena, a symposium on the historical, and still very popular, pilgrimage route known as the “Road to Rome.”
