Gargano (, local dialect of ) is a historical and geographical sub-region in the province of Foggia, Apulia, southeast Italy, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea, the "spur" on the Italian "boot". The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland area, about , is part of the Gargano National Park, founded in 1991. In this region since 1978 a feud has been fought between the clans of the Società foggiana. The Gargano peninsula is partly covered by the remains of an ancient forest, Foresta Umbra, the only remaining part in Italy of the ancient oak and beech forest that once covered much of Central Europe as well as the Apennine deciduous montane forests ecoregion. The Latin poet Horace spoke of the oaks of Garganus in Ode II, ix. Tourism The coast of Gargano houses numerous beaches and tourist facilities, including resorts such as Vieste, Peschici and Mattinata. The two major salt lakes of Lesina and Varano are located in the northern part of the peninsula. Gargano is the site of the oldest shrine in Western Europe dedicated to the archangel Michael, Monte Sant'Angelo sul Gargano. Other tourist attractions include San Giovanni Rotondo, the Abbey of Santa Maria of Ripalta (Lesina) and the volcanic rocks, dating back to the Triassic Period, known as "Black Stones" in Lesina, as well as the Sanctuary of San Nazario. Annual events St Primiano and the saint sailing-race on 15 May St Nazario and the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary with the same name on July 28 St Rocco's Day on 15, 16 and 17 August in Rignano Garganico Procession of the Fracchie on Good Friday in San Marco in Lamis Saint Valentine's day in Vico del Gargano Pilgrimages (cumpagnie) to the shrine of San Michele Arcangelo in Monte Sant'Angelo on May 8 and September 29 Gargano Running Week is held in October, the first time in 2014 and includes trail running, skyrunning, jogging, ultra distance running and speed running. The 10 K and the half marathon are supervised by FIDAL. Gargano Peninsula fossils Some 12 to 4 million years ago, during the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene, a highly endemic vertebrate fauna evolved on what was then Gargano Island due to higher sea levels than today. Several of these animals were subject