Located on the edge of Gargano National Park, San Giovanni Rotondo is an attractive town that is synonymous with Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. Known affectionately as “Padre Pio”, this Franciscan Capuchin monk was famed for his stigmata resembling the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ and attracted pilgrims from near and far.
Things to do in San Giovanni Rotondo
Not to miss in San Giovanni Rotondo is the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which lies alongside a 16th-century monastery where Padre Pio lived until his death in 1968. As the monk’s reputation spread, the 17th-century church became too small to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims and a new house of worship was constructed alongside in the 1950s. Designed by Renzo Piano, this architectural masterpiece can accommodate up to 6,500 worshippers.
You can learn more about the life and legacy of San Giovanni Rotondo’s most famous son at the Padre Pio Wax Museum, which occupies the building where former mayor Francesco Morcaldi once lived. Scenes from Padre Pio’s life have been recreated in wax, based on the recollections of the Minor Capuchin Friars of San Giovanni Rotondo, and are accompanied by engaging audio narration.
San Giovanni Rotondo makes an ideal base for visiting the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel, which has been an important pilgrimage destination since the Middle Ages. Now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it comprises a limestone cave once visited by Padre Pio and an elegant church where Masses are regularly held.
Getting around San Giovanni Rotondo
San Giovanni Rotondo is around 40 minutes’ drive from Foggia and just under two hours from Bari International Airport-Karol Wojtyla, which has flights to destinations across Europe and North Africa. Buses connect from towns and cities across Apulia to San Giovanni Rotondo, as well as travelling throughout San Giovanni Rotondo.