Terre di Lucania (Lands of Lucania) is a journey that will take us among the most evocative and still hidden places in Basilicata, to discover the hilly area of Matera furrowed by the fascinating Calanchi, geomorphological phenomena of erosion due to the action of water on the rocks, which over the millennia have profoundly characterised the territory, generating suggestive furrows on the sides of mountains and hills. We will discover Ferrandinawith its white terraced houses; we will stop at Cracoghost town that still retains its ancient structure; we will then be in Pisticci where we will admire the most characteristic points of the historic centre; we will walk in the footsteps of Carlo Levi, in AlianoWe will retrace the period of his stay in 'confinement' during the fascist regime, and finally reach Materawhich will reveal itself in all its radiant splendour.
Among authentic villages and towns set in lunar landscapes, often chosen as locations for famous films, including: Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Francesco Rosi's Christ Stopped at Eboli, Rocco Papaleo's Basilicata Coast to Coast and Mel Gibson's The Passion, we will follow the traces of ancient colonising peoples and their relations with the indigenous peoples, getting to know the Lucanian lands up close, unexplored places that will offer great emotions.
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Terre di Lucania (Lands of Lucania) is a journey to be travelled slowly and carefully, taking us to discover some of the most evocative and fascinating places in Basilicata, a region far from the most crowded tourist circuits, which still retains an authentic and pure side. The towns and villages that we will touch on our itinerary preserve a strong connection with their history and roots and present an interesting peculiarity: they are almost all immersed in the lunar and candid atmosphere of the calanchi, imposing geomorphological conformations due to the phenomenon of erosion, which create a scenario out of space and time.
General Information
Number Min./Max.
8 people
Period
April to June; September to November
Travel modes
Hiking/cultural
Type of trip
Guaranteed departure with confirmation within 15 days of departure date and possible full refund
The trip includes
Overnight stay in a hotel
4 dinners, 1 lunch, 1 dinner and 7 breakfasts
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Tour telephone support: +39 0981 78 63 12
Programme
Day 1
Ferrandina
Our journey will begin in Ferrandina, a town famous for its narrow white terraced houses connected by steps, called 'casaleni'. After settling into our hotel, we will visit the town, strolling through the streets of its pretty old centre until we reach the 16th-century convent of San Domenico, whose dome dominates the town's skyline. We will then visit an olive oil mill, immersing ourselves in one of the oldest local traditions: the production and processing of extra virgin olive oil. We will then return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Hotel planned for days 1, 2, 3, 4
Hotel degli Ulivi or equivalentProgramme
Arrival at the Hotel
Visit to the centre of Ferrandina
View at oil mill
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Visit to the centre of Ferrandina
View at oil mill
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Day 2
Craco
Travelling through the evocative, lunar gullies, we will reach Craco, a ghost town abandoned by its population following a massive landslide in the 1960s. We will visit the village, which in the past has been the set of numerous films, including Marc Forster's Quantum of Solace and Rocco Papaleo's Basilicata coast to coast. Breathing in the rarefied and timeless atmosphere of what was once an inhabited centre, we will move on to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria d'Anglona on the hill between the Agri and Sinni rivers (the ancient Akiris and Siris), where we can appreciate the monumental architecture built between the 11th and 12th centuries, which harmoniously blends western elements with elegant oriental influences. Our tour continues with a visit to the Archaeological Park of Heraklea in Policoro, to discover the evocative remains of the urban sanctuaries built by the Greeks at the time of their foundation in 433/32 BC. After immersing ourselves in history, we return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
Programme
Breakfast
Visit to the ghost town of Craco
Visit to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria d'Anglona
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Visit to the ghost town of Craco
Visit to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria d'Anglona
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Day 3
Pisticci
We will discover the characteristic village of Pisticci, a place still far from the phenomenon of mass tourism, surrounded by gullies and rich in suggestive views. Here we will admire the historic centre criss-crossed by narrow streets and alleyways overlooked by typical white houses adorned with flower vases, colourful furnishings and small painted sculptures. We will walk along the town's landmarks such as Rione Dirupo and Rione Terravecchia, reaching the ruins of the castle and the Church of the Immaculate Conception, where we will enjoy a view of the town from above. At the end of the visit, we will return to the hotel to relax by the pool or in the SPA. Afterwards, those who wish will have the opportunity to savour the taste and aroma of the delicious "Amaro Lucano" during a visit to the museum dedicated to the famous liqueur, before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Programme
Breakfast
Visit to the village of Pisticci
Afternoon at the hotel
Optional visit to the Amaro Lucano Museum
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Visit to the village of Pisticci
Afternoon at the hotel
Optional visit to the Amaro Lucano Museum
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Day 4
Aliano and Guardia Perticara
We will reach Aliano, an ancient village located on a high clay ridge and also immersed in the lunar landscape furrowed by gullies. We will visit the village of ancient peasant origins and discover its close ties with the Turin writer Carlo Levi, author of the famous work "Christ Stopped at Eboli". The artist, who was exiled here during the Fascist regime (from 1935 to 1936), was deeply impressed by the town, which he considered pure and genuine in its simplicity linked to the land and the tradition of work in the fields, making the place one of his favourite haunts; Here, strolling among the typical local houses built with unbaked clay bricks (one of these is the 'House with Eyes' whose façade seems to have the appearance of a human face), we will visit the Carlo Levi House Museum, rich in evidence of the period the artist lived during his exile in the village. At the end of the visit, we will taste typical local products and in the afternoon we will visit the village of Guardia Perticara, Orange Touring Club Flag, where the film "Christ stopped at Eboli" by Francesco Rosi was shot. Finally we will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Lunch at
Leukanika or equivalentProgramme
Breakfast
Visit to the village of Aliano
Lunch with typical products
Visit to the village of Guardia Perticara
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Visit to the village of Aliano
Lunch with typical products
Visit to the village of Guardia Perticara
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Day 5
Metaponto
Our day will begin with a visit to the Metapontum Archaeological Museum and the Tavole Palatine, the majestic remains of a Doric temple dedicated to Hera, dating back to the 6th century BC. We will then transfer to Matera, the city of the Sassi, where we will admire the city centre and the "Lucania '61" canvas, painted by Carlo Levi, at Palazzo Lanfranchi. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
Hotel planned for days 5,6
Hotel Locanda di San Martino or equivalentProgramme
Breakfast
Visit to the Archaeological Museum of Metapontum and the Palatine Tables
Transfer to Matera
Visit to the centre of the town of Matera
Free dinner and overnight stay
Visit to the Archaeological Museum of Metapontum and the Palatine Tables
Transfer to Matera
Visit to the centre of the town of Matera
Free dinner and overnight stay
Day 6
Matera
We will spend the day discovering the fascinating town of Matera, immersed in a landscape rich in historical and cultural evidence dating back to the Palaeolithic era. Surrounded by dwellings set in the rock, we will admire the Sasso Caveoso, the Sasso Barisano and the suggestive rupestrian churches, small treasures carved into the calcarenite, rich in caverns, cavities and frescoes; We will enter a house typically furnished according to the ancient peasant tradition of the past, and those who wish will have access to a workshop for making bread stamps, an object that takes us back to the 1950s, when Matera women used to make bread at home and then bake it in communal ovens, and easily recognise their stamped loaves. After this dive into local history and traditions, we will enjoy an evening and free dinner, and then return to the hotel for an overnight stay.
Programme
Breakfast
Visit to typical house and optional visit to bread stamping workshop
Free dinner and overnight stay
Visit to typical house and optional visit to bread stamping workshop
Free dinner and overnight stay
Day 7
Matera
A day awaits us amidst ancient historical evidence and local flavours, thanks to a visit to the Crypt of the Original Sin, located inside a renowned farm.
The crypt is also known as the "Sistine Chapel of the rock" for its rich cycle of frescoes dating between the 8th and 9th centuries. We will continue our knowledge of local culture with a wine-tasting at a winery, where we will discover the long history of Matera's wine-making tradition and taste typical local products. Return to the hotel for the afternoon and free dinner.
Lunch at
Casal Dragone Winery or equivalentProgramme
Breakfast
Visit to the Crypt of Original Sin
Visit and tasting at a winery
Free afternoon and dinner
Visit to the Crypt of Original Sin
Visit and tasting at a winery
Free afternoon and dinner
Day 8
Departure of our guests
Breakfast at the hotel and final greetings
Programme
After breakfast at the hotel, we will say goodbye and meet again for the next tour of discovery in Southern Italy!
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