mountainous promontory jutting into the Adriatic Sea from the east coast of Italy, in Foggia province, Puglia (Apulia) region. Called the “spur” of the Italian “boot” (peninsula), it is 40 miles (65 km) long and 25 miles (40 km) at its widest, with an area of 778 square miles (2,015 square km). The peninsula is composed entirely of limestone, surrounded by terraces of various geologic periods, and rises to 3,494 feet (1,065 m) at Mount Calvo. The north coast has splendid citrus and olive groves and vineyards along the shore; the southern slopes, facing the Foggia plain, are known for their heavy red wines. The oak forests, famous in ancient times, have largely been cut, and only naked bedrock remains over much of the interior of the Gargano; the Umbra Forest (mainly beech) is the most famous of the few surviving forest preserves.

Vieste, on the eastern tip, and Manfredonia (q.v.), on the south coast, are the main seaside settlements. Monte Sant'Angelo (q.v.), an ancient pilgrimage centre, and San Giovanni Rotondo, near which bauxite is mined, are the largest towns of the interior.