The 10 best places to visit in Basilicata, Italy

Basilicata, a region in southern Italy, is an often overlooked gem. A land of great contrasts, evident in its semi-deserted villages, the elegiac beauty of the landscape and the infinite fragments that make up the mosaic of its fascinating culture, it has been inhabited for millennia, since the Paleolithic period. There are traces of Neolithic villages, Greek and Roman colonists and Norman conquerors scattered across the region. Basilicata’s culture blends pagan and Christian festivals celebrated across its villages with influences from Swabian, Arab, Greek and Spanish inhabitants, something you’ll notice in the region’s bounteous culinary specialties. 

These 10 places in Basilicata capture the kaleidoscopic charms of this enigmatic region in the south of Italy. 

1. Matera 

Best for experiencing living history

Just look around Matera and in an instant your gaze will go from the caves beyond the Gravina, to the refined baroque architecture of the Piano district, from the intimate spaces of rock churches to the increasingly trendy atmosphere of the historic center. 

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Matera is known worldwide for the Sassi, but most visitors are misled by the usual meaning of the word. The Sassi are not large excavated rocks, nor are they cave-houses. Rather the term indicates the two districts of the old city. Over the centuries, the Sassi grew prosperous, but decline eventually set in and the ancient area became a melancholic ghost town of ruins. Matera was the first place in southern Italy to become a UNESCO World Heritage site: you don’t come to Matera for a museum or a palace, rather you come here to immerse yourself in its elusive atmosphere. 

While you’re here, get lost in the Sassi and visit the cave houses, marvel at the jaw-dropping monastery complex (Complesso Monastico della Madonna delle Virtù e di San Nicola dei Greci), taste Matera’s famous pane and snap plenty of breathtaking photos from viewpoints at Piazza Pascoli and Belvedere di Murgia Timone. 

Detour: Venture just a few miles out of the city and enter the enchanted Potentino, a land of small country roads, villages lost in time, Roman ruins, cathedrals of rock and woods of oaks and firs that frame the landscape. 

2.  Pollino National Park 

Best for connecting with nature

Italy’s largest national park, the sprawling Parco Nazionale Del Pollino (Pollino National Park) is an exceptional expanse of lush forests, high-altitude grasslands and windswept plateaus spread between Calabria and Basilicata. As well as extraordinary views and varied landscapes, you will find villages where isolation has preserved cultural traditions whose origins date back to a past

as deep as the canyons and valleys that furrow the land. And then there are the area’s foodie treasures, small museums, festivals, and outdoor pursuits such as trekking, rafting and mountain biking. 

If you’re after adventure, the place to be is Colle Impiso, the startpoint for Pollino’s most thrilling hikes. From there you can go up to the Piana del Pollino, where paths lead off to the Serra di Crispo and Serra delle Ciavole. Also starting at Colle Impiso is the route for the summit of Monte Pollino. A decidedly less demanding route, suitable for all skill levels, starts at the Rifugio De Gasperi and leads through a dense beech forest to the Belvedere Malvento.

Detour: From Rotonda, take a mini-excursion along the Sentiero Paraturo for a short trek past the Cascata del Diavola waterfall and the Fontana i Susu, one of the most beautiful fountains built by Rotonda’s stonemasons. 

3. Metaponto and the Ionian Coast 

Best for channeling the ancient Greeks

One of the main reasons visitors head to the Ionian Coast is to explore what remains of the colonies of Metaponto, Siris and Heraclea. Another reason is to hit the sandy beaches. As you walk the anonymous streets of the small village of Metaponto, you’ll discover that the architecture reflects the grandeur of its past. 

For lovers of ancient history, the rich collection of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale and the ruins at the Parco Archeologico recount the peak of urbanization and subsequent decline. The archaeological park’s well-preserved hemicycle theater and temple of Artemis are worth the visit, but the most exciting archaeological site in Metaponto, and probably the whole of Basilicata, is the nearby Tavole Palatine, with 15 of the original 32 Doric columns still standing. Just south of Metaponto in Policoro, evidence of the Greek settlement of Heraclea (and pre-existing Siris) can be found in the town’s Museo Archeologico Nazionale della SIritide di Policoro. Behind the museum is the Parco Archeologico Siris Heraclea, where you can see foundations of the city’s ancient buildings.

Then, there is the alluring shoreline. The summer high-season draws crowds to the long stretches of wide golden beach and clear shallow waters of the Lido di Metaponto. Notable structures along the southbound coast include the historic Lido delle Sirene, which has probably been in business since Pythagoras’ time, and the beautiful dunes and wetlands of the Riserva Forestale Naturale which encompasses the mouth of the river Bradano.

Planning tip: Typically held in August, the Metaponto Beach Festival is a three-day celebration of independent music, the territory and summer. 

4. The Vulture 

Best for sampling local wine

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Vulture is the land of Aglianico, one of Italy’s most prestigious vines, which thanks to the lava

in the subsoil attains extraordinary levels of expression. Tour the main wine production center in Rionero, perhaps complemented with pastries or chocolates from Pasticceria Libutti, or visit the 15th century cellars dug out of the tuff rock that create a striking urban landscape below Barile. Those in search of the secrets of the Aglianico can taste the king of wines at some of the 

Vulture’s most important wineries include Le Cantine del Notaio, famed for its 17th-century caves, and the historic Paternoster, known for its flagship wine, Don Anselmo. During the Cantinando festival in August, Barile’s underground cellars serve as the venue for the dizzying event dedicated to wine, art and music. In autumn, look for the traveling Aglianica Wine Festival, which takes place in different towns in the Vulture.

Detour: In Venosa, explore Abbazia della Santissima Trinità, an extraordinary thousand year-old abbey and important sacred site with the exhilarating Incompiuta ruins. 

5. Melfi 

Best for admiring medieval architecture 

The Vulture’s largest town, Melfi, is a destination not to be missed. It has everything to captivate at first sight, a castle and bell tower projecting a sense of majesty, narrow streets with low-lying houses, wrought iron balconies full of flowers and noble palaces. 

The Melfi Castle, including the archeological museum inside, and the cathedral are the town’s main attractions. The monumental bulwark of the castello with its eight towers and brick bridge make it easy to imagine the grandeur of its golden age. Among its collection of shining armor, refined jewels, candelabra, helmets and the usual repertoire of pottery, the museum’s highlight is the Sarcofago di Rapolla. The rooms, with their coffered ceilings and golden stucco, are also worthy of note. 

Unlike most towns in Basilicata, Melfi exudes a kind of aristocratic charm. Next to the cathedral, for example, the baroque Palazzo del Vescovado recalls eras of sumptuous pomp with its long and harmonious facade, grand staircase and stupendous Italian garden dotted with marble busts. 

Planning tip: La Villa di Melfi restaurant is a great place to sample local, seasonal ingredients like the delicious marroncino del Vulture (a chestnut known as the Varola) collected in the hillside woods around Melfi and used in cakes, desserts, ice cream, beer and flour for fresh pasta. 

6. Craco 

Best for ghost town fans

Once a village with more than two thousand inhabitants, in 1963, Craco became a ghost town. Tragedy struck when the village was reduced to ruins by a series of landslides and the lives of hundreds of people were uprooted. In a deafening silence, Craco continued to stand above the surrounding landscape. Today, in that same silence, Craco has risen again, as a warning and as an emblem of a region whose authentic charm lies in its mix of beauty and desolation. 

Near the Parco Museale Scenografico, guided tours lead visitors into the abandoned village, clad in safety helmets. Inside, the houses look like they were lived in until yesterday and you half expect to see a farmer heading out the door on his way to the fields. However, once you reach what remains of the main square, the sense of devastation takes over. From there, you climb several stairways up to the crumbling Chiesa di San Nicola and its majolica bell tower. You’ll see stone decorations and damaged wooden panels and, through the glassless windows, the faded frescoes of ancient noble palaces. 

Planning tip: To complete your tour, check out the multimedia installation at the MEC (Emotional Museum of Craco) in the Convento di San Pietro.

7.  The Tyrrhenian Coast 

Best for seeking breathtaking vistas

After so much mountain terrain, Basilicata’s Tyrrhenian coast is truly fleeting, stretching for a mere 30km (18.5 miles). Yet, the endless sequence of views to feast your eyes on, the many coves and inlets that capture the very essence of the sea, and the harmonious co-existence of idyllic villages and the Apennine’s last slopes, encapsulate the beauty of entire continents. Although most travelers come to these parts to lie back on the beach, Maratea’s amazing landscapes can best be appreciated on foot. 

Popular routes to the Redentore include the Monte San Biagio circuit and the Madonna della Pietà trail, which winds from Piazza Buraglia to the homonymous church and up the Marinella road to the Grotta delle Meraviglie and Scalinatelle, before descending to the port. Another route is through the ruins of Maratea Superiore. The view over the Gulf of Policastro from here is truly incredible. The Via Ferrata del Redentore has attained Olympus-like status among climbing enthusiasts. The first section is not particularly challenging, but the second, which includes two Tibetan-style hanging bridges, features some vertical sections on exposed walls along with its stunning views. 

Detour: Just south of Cersuta, take in the amazing Skywalk, a panoramic glass-floored terrace hanging over the sea. 

8. The Badlands (Laterra dei Calanchi) 

Best for lovers of literature

Basilicata offers a rich, varied landscape, but nowhere has the iconic significance of the region’s badlands. While it’s not always easy traveling in this part of the region, it’s always an unforgettable experience. In Tursi, located at the base of the Badlands, savor the words of the town’s favorite son, Albino Pierro, as you admire the bizarre slopes dotted with prickly pears, the enigmatic shapes of the Rabatana quarter, and the interesting religious architecture. In Aliano, you can see the vertiginous Fossa del Bersagliere and the landscapes and lifestyles that inspired Carlo Levi, a famed Turinese doctor, painter and writer confined to the village as the result of his political activities to whom the Parco Letterario Carlo Levi is dedicated.

Detour: For short excursions into the badlands, there are two suitably signposted circular trails along the road to Alianello from Località Frattine di Capobianco: the Don Carlo trail (20 minutes), which is ideal for a taste of the area, and the Don Luigino trail (50 minutes), another simple route suitable for those who don’t want to overdo it.

9. Policoro 

Best for a day at the beach

In the high season when the surf beckons, head to Policoro’s wide, sandy shores for sunbathing, swimming and sailing. At Lido di Policoro, you’ll find bathing establishments and stalls as well as a few fashionable bars. Stop in the cheerful little trattoria, L’Altro Impero, for wholesome, home-style cuisine, including fish and pasta dishes. During the summer, you can pick up super-fresh fish, sausages or porchetta seaside at Il Chioschetto di Petty which draws customers from far and wide. 

Those who prefer a more natural setting might enjoy a visit to the inland Ionian wetlands of the Riserva Naturale Bosco Pantano di Policoro. The Pantano Woods have also been enchanting visitors for centuries with wetland beachside forest, marshes, sand dunes and a distinctly tropical atmosphere. 

Planning tip: Much like the beaches, the accommodations in Policoro range from rustic to posh. On one end of the spectrum, you can camp at Policoro Village, situated in a poetic pine forest, or bask in luxury at Marinagri with bars, restaurants, a private beach and aqua spa. 

10. The Lucanian Dolomites

Best for outdoor adventures

One of Basilicata’s top destinations, the increasingly popular Dolomiti Lucane (Lucanian Dolomites) stand in the northwestern part of the Parco Regionale di Gallipoli Cognato e Piccole Dolomiti Lucane where bizarre rock spires soar above rounded peaks, attracting boulderers, climbers, cyclists and other thrill seekers. The headline attraction is the Angel’s Flight zipline, Volo dell’Angelo, which sends thrill-seekers soaring between the villages of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano. You can pick up speeds of up to 75mph and, while the flight only takes a minute, it is sure to get the adrenaline pumping. 

For additional thrills you can tackle rock climbing routes of the Via Ferrata Salemm, on the Castelmezzano side, and the Via Ferrata Marcirosa, on the Pietrapertosa side. Fans of bouldering will find two areas near the town of Campomaggiore that enthusiasts consider to be among the most spectacular in southern Italy. The Ciclovia delle Dolomiti Lucane attracts many bike lovers in summer with a nice 25km (15.5 mile) loop through Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano.

Planning tip: Marvel at the view from the terrace of one of Basilicata’s best restaurants, Al Becco della Civetta in Castelmezzano.

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Basilicata guidebook, published in August 2024.