42.11972215.5047221Abbey of Santa Maria a Mare, 71040 San Nicola di Tremiti FG. 7am-10pm Mon-Sat, 7am-11pm Sun. The Sanctuary of Santa Maria a Mare is a Catholic Church, which was also a monastery and an abbey through the centuries. The impressive and majestic Abbey of Santa Maria was built in 1045 AD by Benedictine monks and it is located on the island of San Nicola. Later, the façade and the portal were modified through the addiction of some decorative patterns in Renaissance style. These modifications were commissioned by the Canons Regular of the Lateran
On the portal there are delicate reliefs portraying the Virgin Mary with Saints and Cherubim. The church's interior retains its original structure intact: it has a rectangular plan with three naves and a double deambulatory. Special attention should be paid to the works of art present in this church, such as:
The wooden cross, with a particular shape, typical of Greek-Byzantine iconography; The wooden statue "S. Maria a Mare", that represents the Virgin and Child; the Wooden Polyptych located on the main altar, a gold laminated carving; the mosaic floor that, after several restorations, can now be admired on the central nave, and that probably is the most significant piece in the Church.
The cloister of the monastery is also worth mentioning: the first cloister (the most ancient one) has an eighteenth-century well in the middle, with water coming from a big underground cistern.
Grotta delle RondinelleGrotta delle Rondinelle, isola di San Domino, Isole Tremiti, Sentiero Cala delle Rondinelle, 71040 Isole Tremiti FG. The Rondinelle cave (“swallows”) takes its name from the swallows that nest there in springtime. The grotto is supported by two big natural pillars. A magical place, known for the way it looks at sunset during the hottest days of summer: the rays of sun that pass through the cave’s entrance create a game of reflections between the water and the walls showing an enchanting variety of colours.
Grotta del Bue Marino, Grotta del Bue Marino, Colle dell'Eremita, 71040 Isola di San Domino , Isole Tremiti FG. The Bue Marino cave (“marine ox”) owes its name to monk seals that in old times inhabited the area. It is 70 mt long but only 2 mt deep and has a tiny sandy beach in the back. Due to the shallow depth of the sea in this point, the sunlight gets across the water giving a turquoise colour to the whole space. The Cave is located at the foot of a cliff called Ripa dei Falconi, where the legendary birds, the Diomedea, nests.
Grotta delle Viole, Isola di San Domino, Isole Tremiti, Perimetrale Colle dell'Eremita, 71040 Isole Tremiti FG. The Violets cave is called by many as “the fairy cave”. On the one hand its name refers to the purplish shades that can be admired especially in the early morning during summertime. This is possible thanks to the combination of the limpid and bluish water with the wide range of wonderfully coloured fish, that emanate charming nuances when they are illuminated by the sunlight; on the other hand the name comes from the abundance of flowers, especially violets, that cover the sloping rocks of the grotto.
