Basilicata

Basilicata – also called Lucania – is a region in southern Italy bordering Campania to the west, Apulia to the east and Calabria to the south. It has a short coastal strip on the Tyrrhenian Sea and also on the Gulf of Taranto (part of the Ionian Sea) on the southeast side.

After the Aosta Valley, Basilicata is the least populated region of Italy. The capital of the region is Potenza. The region consists of 2 provinces with capitals of the same name: Potenza and Matera.

In general, the region is mountainous and the highest point of the southern Apennines is Monte Pollino (2.197 m). Monte Vulture, in the northwest corner, is an extinct volcano (1.310 m).

The mountainous terrain made communication difficult until modern times. Basilicata has long been one of the least developed regions of Italy. Until a few decades ago, whole families lived in a kind of cave dwellings, which can now be visited as a tourist attraction. Because of its old look, Mel Gibson chose Matera as the place to shoot his Jesus film The Passion of the Christ.

Like Apulia, Basilicata has not yet really been discovered by the tourist, although it has also received more attention in the Italy magazines in recent years. In addition to the region's most worth seeing and interesting town, Matera, the area has a large number of characteristic smaller towns such as Pisticci, Melfi, Ferrandina and the abandoned ghost town of Craco.

Near the Ionian coast, with its sandy beaches, is the archaeological park of Metaponto with ruins of a Greek temple from the 7th century BC. The Tyrrhenian coast is rocky, Maratea is here with its small beaches and marina. Also important for tourism are the mountains of the Pollino and the Lucanian Dolomites. The rocky region is ideal for sporty hikers.