Puglia, Gateway to the East, is a crossroads of ancient roads and paths of faith. The Via Francigena of the Gargano leads to the UNESCO site of the Basilica of Michael in Monte Sant’Angelo

The Via Francigena of the Gargano or “Via Micaelica”, is an integral part of the Via Francigena of the South, in which it plays an essential role for pilgrims and crusaders who invoked the blessing of the Archangel, before embarking towards Jerusalem. The path of Saint Michael is part of a path of spiritual improvement that includes the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (the Man), to Mount Gargano (the Angel) and to the Holy Land (God). “Homo, Angelus, Deus”. And, as the mussel stands as the symbol of Santiago, so are the coloured feathers for Monte Sant’Angelo.

It is also called Via Francisca because in the thirteenth century also Saint Francis of Assisi is said to have traveled it on his way to the presence of Michael. Or, also Via Sacra dei Longobardi, Nordic populations who spread the cult of the Angel throughout Europe starting from the Early Middle Ages.

The Route in Puglia

The Apulian route begins in Celle San Vito, the smallest municipality in Puglia and, after the daily sections of Troia, Lucera and San Severo, climbs up Mount Gargano. The Sacred Mountain is a crescendo of places of devotion: the three convents of Stignano, San Matteo and San Giovanni Rotondo are the intermediate stations before the Basilica.

On foot or by bike (mountain bike)

The route can be divided into stages of different lengths depending on the mode used.

On foot (about 20-25 km per stage): 1) Celle San Vito – Troia, 2) Lucera, 3) San Severo or Stignano, 4) San Marco in Lamis (San Matteo), 5) San Giovanni Rotondo, 6) Monte Sant’Angelo

By bike, however, you can travel approximately double the km per day: 1) Celle San Vito – Lucera, 2) San Marco in Lamis, 3) Monte Sant’Angelo. Only by mountain bike, it is possible to practice

The Variants

There are three variants of the same “cammino” that can enrich the route with cultural and landscape ideas.

The first is the variant of the Pulsano Abbey, located a few km south of Monte Sant’Angelo. The Pulsano Abbey is a medieval monastic complex founded by San Giovanni da Matera close to a valley that hosts rock hermitages. This variant can be undertaken: as an intermediate stop, during the stage between San Giovanni Rotondo and Monte Sant’Angelo (after the Pantano di Sant’Egidio, you head to Ruggiano); or, after having already reached Monte Sant’Angelo, as a round trip loop to be completed in a dedicated day.;

The second variant we recommend is a “Finis Terrae” stage. After reaching Monte Sant’Angelo, you can reach the Gulf of Manfredonia in the Adriatic Sea following a mule track corresponding to an ancient pilgrimage path featuring an extraordinary  “Scala Santa” (holy stairs) dug by hand into the limestone rock of the Gargano. The name Scannamugliera, in fact, derives from a Langobard term that would have meant “steep climb”.

The third variant, finally, is the Via dei Sammichelari, which crosses the heart of the Gargano National Park and ends on the coast of Vieste, the pearl of the Gargano. Its first part is also called “Path of the Two Unesco Sites of Monte Sant’Angelo”, as it connects the Holy Cave with the other Unesco site of the beech wood of the Umbra Forest. It is an independent itinerary, thus we talk about it on this other page.

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