Hotel Wisdom

Visit the grotto early in the morning, before tour groups arrive. The atmosphere is quiet and deeply spiritual at this hour. Attending a mass inside the cave is a unique experience even for non religious visitors. Check the schedule at reception the evening before.

Watch the sunset from the hotel terrace or from the viewpoints near the castle. The light over the Gulf of Manfredonia changes colour quickly. On clear days the coast is visible far to the south. A light jacket is useful, as evenings are cool even in summer.

Book well ahead for 8 May and 29 September, the feast days of Saint Michael. The town fills with pilgrims, processions and stalls, and rooms become scarce. Roads are closed in parts of the centre. If you prefer quiet, avoid these dates.

Taste ostie ripiene in a local pastry shop. These almond and honey wafers are made only here and travel well as souvenirs. Some shops let visitors watch them being prepared. Buy them fresh rather than packaged.

Walk the white lanes of the Rione Junno with comfortable shoes. Many paths are steep, stepped and uneven. Morning light is ideal for photography. Respect residents' privacy, as these are lived in homes.

Combine Monte Sant'Angelo with San Giovanni Rotondo in one day. The two sanctuaries are about half an hour apart by car. Start with the grotto in the morning and continue to Padre Pio's shrine in the afternoon. Lunch at the hotel restaurant fits well between them.

Pack warm clothes from October to April. The town lies at around eight hundred metres, and wind and fog are common. Temperatures can be much lower than on the coast below. Snow is possible in winter.

Explore the Foresta Umbra on a separate day. This ancient beech forest in the heart of the Gargano National Park offers marked trails and picnic areas. Its shaded paths are a contrast to the sunny coast. A car is needed, as public transport barely reaches it.