Park geography

Analyzing the terrain, coastal landscapes, and forest coverage of this Italian protected area

Gargano National Park: geography

Location: Apulia, Italy. Recorded area: 1,181.44 km².

Illustrated coastal landscape with a white rock arch, a tower on a cliff, green agricultural fields, forested hills, and a shoreline with blue water under a yellow sky with pink clouds

Mediterranean promontory wilderness with ancient forests and coastal islands

Gargano National Park

Gargano National Park is a vast protected area in southern Italy spanning the Gargano promontory, its offshore archipelago, and adjacent wetlands in the region of Apulia. Established in 1991, it covers approximately 118,000 hectares, making it the largest national park in Apulia and one of the most ecologically significant protected areas in Western Europe. The park encompasses the rugged limestone mountains of the Gargano headland, the ancient beech woodlands of the Foresta Umbra, the Tremiti Islands in the Adriatic Sea, and the coastal wetland complex of Lago Salso. This extraordinary concentration of Mediterranean, forest, and wetland habitats within a single protected landscape creates one of Italy's most biologically diverse territories.

Location: Italy
Park type: National park
Established: 1991
Area: 1,181.4 km²

Gargano National Park Atlas

Location overview

Map placement and coastal distribution within Italy's Apulia region

Geographic Location and Coastal Setting of Gargano National Park

Gargano National Park is situated in the Apulia region within the Province of Foggia in southeastern Italy. The protected coastal territory features a defined geographic footprint managed entirely within Italian borders.

Countries: Italy
Regions: Apulia, Province of Foggia
Primary location: Apulia
Geographic setting: Coastal

Boundary and coordinates

Mapping the 1,181 square kilometer spatial footprint and regional extent

Geographic Boundary Map and Spatial Limits of Gargano National Park

Interactive geometry outlines the regional footprint of Gargano National Park to provide clear spatial context. Accompanying geographic facts outline estimated metrics including total area, coordinate limits, and center points.

Boundary area: 1,242.5 km²
Boundary perimeter: 684.9 km
Northernmost point: 42.2283° N
Southernmost point: 41.529° N
Easternmost point: 16.1999° E
Westernmost point: 15.2208° E
Geographic centre: 41.7872° N, 15.8206° E
North–south span: 77.7 km
East–west span: 81.3 km

Parco Nazionale del Gargano

Terrain and natural features

Explore recorded caves, wetlands, beaches, and valleys across the protected landscape

Gargano National Park Terrain Classifications and Named Natural Features

Stored terrain classifications outline the mixed relief profile alongside various recorded natural formations located within the protected boundary. Linked feature cards provide names, types, measurements, and spatial relationships where documented.

Selected named natural features

Wetlands

Lago Salso - Prati allagati

Natural arches

L'Architiello

Cave entrances

Grotta dell'Angelo

Beaches

Braico

Islands

San Clemente

Streams

Torrente Varcaro

Gargano National Park Natural Features

Environmental setting

Interpreting recorded landscape features, habitats, relief, and forest cover

Gargano National Park Environmental Classifications and Physical Setting

Recorded landscape features, temperate broadleaf habitats, and mixed relief classifications provide complementary frameworks for reading the physical setting of Gargano National Park. Connected atlas destinations link these structured categories directly to related protected areas and regional geography.

Relief: Mixed relief
Water: Minor water
Forest cover: Mostly forested
Seasonality: Year-round

Landscape features

Mountains · Forest · Wetland · Coast · Islands

Habitat types

Temperate broadleaf forest · Wetland · Coastal habitat

Park atlas

Compare diverse protected landscapes and park geography within Italy's Apulia region.

Explore Nearby National Parks and Protected Areas Surrounding Gargano National Park

Continue your discovery of protected areas by mapping other national parks and protected landscapes near Gargano National Park. Explore their diverse terrain, from mountainous ridges to ancient woodlands, to gain valuable regional context for Italy's varied protected lands.

Watercolor illustration showing green grasslands, distant hills, and a winding path under a light sky

National parkItaly

44 km away#1 closest

South

Alta Murgia National Park: National Park Exploration and Protected Landscape Context

Explore mapped terrain and regional geography.

Alta Murgia National Park is a designated national park offering unique opportunities for geographic discovery. Delve into its protected landscape, understand its mapped boundaries, and situate it within the broader Italian atlas. This entry provides essential context for exploring the park's terrain and regional significance.

Area: 677.39 km²
Established: 2004
IUCN: II
Relief: Mixed relief

Alta Murgia National Park protected area

A wide panoramic watercolor painting showing a landscape with a body of water in the foreground, green grasses and trees on the banks, and layers of purple and pink hills in the distance under a pale sky.

Nature reserveAbruzzo

About 45 km away#2 closest

West

Riserva naturale regionale Marina di Vasto: Coastal Nature Reserve in Abruzzo, Italy

Mapping protected Adriatic dune and wetland ecosystems

This nature reserve protects a vital 3-kilometer strip of the Adriatic coastline in Abruzzo, acting as a rare sanctuary for specialized flora and fauna. By managing a delicate ecotone of shifting sand dunes and brackish wetland basins, the area maintains a high degree of ecological significance within the regional landscape. The geography provides an important look at integrated coastal conservation at the meeting point of urbanized hinterlands and the Adriatic sea.

Area: 0.57 km²
Established: 2007
Relief: Lowland
Climate: Mediterranean

Riserva naturale regionale Marina di Vasto Protected Area

A soft watercolor painting of a coastal landscape with rolling green hills, scattered trees, and a light-colored sandy foreground, rendered in a minimalist style.

Nature reserveAbruzzo

About 81 km away#3 closest

Northwest

Punta dell'Acquabella Nature Reserve: Adriatic Coastal Landscape and Geography

Protected Mediterranean shoreline in the Abruzzo region of Italy

Punta dell'Acquabella is a distinct nature reserve on the Adriatic coast of Abruzzo, characterized by its promontory, cliff habitats, and clear coastal waters. The area serves as a significant intersection of natural heritage and cultural landscape within the Trabocchi coast, offering a deep look into the regional geography and environmental features that define this protected territory.

Area: 0.28 km²
Established: 2007
Relief: Upland
Climate: Mediterranean

Punta dell'Acquabella Nature Reserve

Watercolor painting showing mountains, forests, and a body of water in a scenic landscape

National parkAbruzzo

81 km away#4 closest

West

Maiella National Park

Explore mapped park boundaries and natural terrain.

Maiella National Park, in Abruzzo, Italy. Landscapes: mountains, valleys, and plateaus.

Area: 628.38 km²
Established: 1991
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

Maiella National Park Atlas

Watercolor illustration of rolling hills, green vegetation, and distant mountains under a light sky

Protected areaCroatia

83 km away#5 closest

Northeast

Lastovo Nature Park

Mapped karst terrain, ancient architecture, and natural island geography.

Lastovo Nature Park, in Croatia. Landscapes: hills, islands, and caves.

Area: 46.87 km²
Established: 2006
IUCN: V
Relief: Upland

Lastovo Protected Area Map

Watercolor illustration showing a landscape with mountains, green forests, and a river under a soft sky

National parkBasilicata

105 km away#6 closest

South

Appennino Lucano - Val d'Agri - Lagonegrese National Park: Protected Mountain Landscape in Basilicata, Italy

Explore its geography, mapped terrain, and ecological role.

Gain insight into Appennino Lucano - Val d'Agri - Lagonegrese National Park, a significant protected mountain landscape in the heart of Basilicata. This detailed page focuses on the park's distinct geographic features, its role as a crucial ecological corridor connecting major southern Italian protected areas, and the mapped contours of its diverse terrain. Understand its place within the Lucano Apennine range and the broader natural atlas of Italy.

Area: 689.96 km²
Established: 2007
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain