Peschici, a Sprint-proof historic center: the words of the Mayor Francesco Tavaglione
Peschici too, like Vieste and the whole Gargano, is in turmoil for the arrival of the 3 thousand orienteers of the WMOC 2022. A special community awaits them, which has made hospitality and tourism its main strong points. We talked about it with Mayor Francesco Tavaglione.
Why did you choose to support WMOC 2022?
“Our beautiful area is particularly suitable for combining environmental protection with the sport. Through this event, it is possible to appreciate the landscape, food and wine, and architectural excellence and promote, even abroad, the magnificent scenery of our town”.
Ph.Credits Francesco_Tavaglione
How important is tourism for a municipality like Peschici?
“If in the past the construction of boats, egg-growing, pastoralism, and agriculture substantially represented the subsistence economy of the Peschiciani, for some time the tourist vocation of the Peschici area has taken over and currently our country is one of the most popular destinations in Puglia, with a very diversified and qualified receptivity”.
What value does sports tourism have for Peschici?
“Peschici has already invested in the sport-tourism combination for some time, hosting the first stage of the Beach Volleyball Championship on the beach of Peschici as early as 1999, as well as four stages of the Giro d’Italia. In fact, our strategy is to expand the tourist offer by offering the visitor not only the crystalline sea and the golden beaches but also cultural and sporting events that make the most of our magnificent area”.
Photo Credits Vanda Biffani
What can Peschici offer to those who choose to visit it?
“Peschici is located right on the tip of the Gargano promontory, surrounded by a beautiful beach and precipitous rocks. Its territory along the coast is full of promontories that form suggestive natural caves, a true paradise for underwater sports enthusiasts, while the hinterland is covered with forests mostly of Aleppo pine that descend from the hills to the sea. The sixteenth-century watchtowers are very interesting as well as the trebuchets, structures high up on the ridges for fishing with a large net supported by poles and pulleys, some of which have been transformed into restaurants where the fish is cooked. Furthermore, Peschici is a village of medieval origins built around the Abbey of Calena which deserves to be appreciated in all its majesty, like the Castle which is located on top of the cliff”.
Describe to the athletes your historic center that will host the Sprint races.
“The historic center of Peschici is characterized by a very intricate network of alleys, squares, and white-domed houses, as well as stairways that descend towards the sea. The ancient walls are reinforced by semicircular turrets and the ancient village is accessible from the Porte del Ponte and Porta di Basso. Our historic center, typical of Mediterranean architecture, is characterized by a very intricate network of alleys that is particularly suitable for hosting the sprint races of the WMOC 2022”.
Photo Credits Andrea Ruggeri
A message for the 3 thousand orienteers who will reach the Gargano.
“I wish all those who will be present at the sporting competition to enjoy all the beauty and hospitality that – I am sure – the Peschiciana community will be able to offer and to the athletes to live an intense sporting experience”.