Torre di San Felice - tower and vantage point overlooking the rock arch of Arco di San Felice

View from the lookout at Torre San Felice on the rock arch of Arco di San Felice, Italy.
Photo taken with the camera Canon G7X Mark II

Alarm and defense

Torre San Felice is a coastal defense, observation and signal tower. Coastal towers since antiquity have remained the best means of protection against unwanted invaders from the sea. To date, nothing has changed in principle. Only the way of listening and observing has changed. It used to be a man with a trained eye and ear, and today it is electronics, radio waves and other inventions. However, it is still listening and observation.

Tore San Felice - coastal tower dating from the reign of the Kingdom of Naples, Italy.
Photo taken by phone Xiaomi A3

The tower was built in 1540, during the reign of the Kingdom of Naples. The kingdom encompassed all of southern Italy, covered on three sides by the waters of the sea, suffered severely from the constant sea invasions of the Saracens and corsairs. Therefore, in the XNUMXth century, measures were taken to create an observation, protection and signaling system that would enable detection and quick response to the impending threat.
The rule was simple: you had to put up enough towers along the coast so that each tower could see two adjacent ones. One on the left and one on the right. The tower that detected the threat generated a warning signal (in the form of light or smoke signs). Neighboring towers that noticed the warning signal passed it on to warn of the danger, etc.
Some of the towers were additionally located in such a way that they performed military functions, enabling remote firing of the attacker.
Thus, a system consisting of the 379 towers (according to data from the inventory carried out in 1748).
Despite so many towers, the system was never completed and there are some sections where towers have no left or right neighbor.
Today the towers are great observation points. They were usually built in places that gave a perfect view to either side of the coast. Therefore, they usually have a beautiful view both ways (as long as they have not grown wild in the meantime).
Full list of Coastal Towers of the Kingdom of Naples along with a description of their current state can be found on the Wikipedia website. Here I am link directly to the translation into Polish.

The rock arch of Arco di San Felice

Due to its location, Torre San Felice is the best viewpoint on the beautiful rock formation known to everyone Arch of San Felice. We tried to approach it from almost all sides, and even so it turned out that the bow looks best when viewed from an observation tower.
So I recommend that you do not worry about looking for the best viewpoint, just go straight to the Torre San Felice tower and enjoy the beautiful view.
In season, you can go to the Arco di San Felice arch and to other rocky coast formations by boat from Vieste, as part of a short, organized trip.

The tower and the arch are very close Vieste (about 9 km), towns that described in a separate entry. It is also one of the points prepared by me Puglia sightseeing planwhere you will find route maps, a complete sightseeing plan and a list of the most interesting places worth seeing in the south of Italy.

On the right, stairs to the Torre Sane Felice tower, and on the left, the Arco rock formation to San Felice. Easily accessible and a great vantage point.
Photo taken with the camera Canon G7X Mark II

Useful GPS coordinates

Parking at the Torre San Felice defense tower overlooking the famous Arco San Felice rock arch, GPS coordinates:
41°49’39.0″N 16°11’38.9″E
41.827488, 16.194135 - click and route

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One comment on “Torre di San Felice - tower and vantage point overlooking the rock arch of Arco di San Felice"

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    I have rated 5 stars without hesitation! Great entry and beautiful views!

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