Located in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Puglia are the Tremiti Islands. This archipelago is made up of five small islands; Capraia, Cretaccio, Pianosa, San Domino, and San Nicola. The islands are part of the Gargano National Park which is known for its clear blue waters and solitude. The archipelago is a huge attraction for tourists and approximately 100,000 people visit them each year.
There are two theories of where the name ‘Tremiti’ originates. The first is that it relates to the frequent tremors felt in the area. The second theory is that it comes from the Greek word ’
Capraia
Caparia is a small island that is uninhabited by humans. It gets its name from the wild goats that dwell on the island. It is the same size as San Nicola.
Cretaccio
This island lies between San Nicola and San Domino. It is just a large rock in the sea and is uninhabited.
Pianosa
Pianosa is also uninhabited and lies away from the rest of the islands in the archipelago. In fact, it is 20 nautical miles away from the coast. It is just 250 meters wide and 700 meters long.
San Domingo
This is the largest of the islands in the archipelago and it has a population of approximately 250 people. It is also the closest of the islands to the Gargano Peninsula. The island is 2,600 meters in length and measures 1,700 meters across.
San Nicola
Approximately 150 people live on the island of San Nicola, which measure 1,600 meters across and 450 meters in width. The Benedictine monks established the Santa Maria a Mare abbey on the island in the 9th century.
Sources:
- Main Image: Wiki
The Tremiti Islands are so small and off-radar that I couldn’t even find them on my atlas! But this is good as it meant the islands were not over-run with tourists, despite they featuring in a mainstream newspaper. In fact, I only heard 4 non-Italian voices. I have fond memories of my time on the Tremiti Islands.