Caroline Verdel
This is the sequel to the first part of Basilicata: journey through forgotten land – a journey taken by the newlywed Carine and her husband through this undiscovered region of Italy.
Tuesday
It's overcast, but luckily nothing falls out. It is cool, about 14 degrees. The coats are ready, let's go. We first visit the castle Lagopesole. A rather austere complex, in a cold place, but still worth a visit.
When we've had enough, we drive on to Melfi, a pleasant town at the foot of the volcano Monte Vulture. Dominant in the skyline of Melfi is without a doubt the large castle. Inside is a large archaeological museum, and when visiting Melfi you should definitely plan some time to spend there.
The center of Melfi is also very nice. There is an old city wall, cozy streets and a strikingly beautiful church; the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. The outside has traces from various times. For example, the contrast between the facade and the bell tower is great. Once inside you will be surprised by an enormous amount of decoration and symbolism, really beautiful!
Discover Basilicata for yourself
We notice that you have to make a little effort here in Basilicata to find the beautiful places. There is no real travel guide, you have to gather your information via the internet or the local tourist office. This is how you find out that Basilicata has gems you didn't know about. And you are the only one who managed to find these special places! At least, that's how it sometimes feels when you're the only tourist here.
The Scorpion Family
When we are back in our apartment in the evening and I am quietly reading, I am startled by a voice that shouts: 'Don't come in the bathroom!' Okay. As a frightened hare, I now know exactly what time it is. We have intruders! And yes, the scorpion family lives on our bathrobe. It's a bit like Italy, but it's something I'll never get used to. Large pests.
Where in the Netherlands the wasp is pretty much your most annoying enemy (and I will not claim that it is nothing), here you are dealing with a whole arsenal of creepy crawlies, with or without puncture weapons. Sometimes you don't see them, and you decide not to open windows as a precaution, and close the door right behind you, but of course they were inside long before you were there. After about 5 minutes, the 3 bathers are caught and evicted. I don't like the bathroom anymore, even if the tiles are so cheerfully colored. I first wave all the towels, rugs, and look in every toilet roll.
Wednesday
Sure enough, the sun is poking holes in the cloud cover! Today we stay near Trivigno. In the middle of the mountains lies the charming mini village of Castelmezzano. Picturesque, with steep, narrow streets, very friendly people and a tourist information office. From this village you can take a path into the tooth-shaped mountains, from where you have a spectacular view of the beautiful surroundings.
After a short climb we decide to bring out our lunch. But hey, what's rustling on the mountainside? Some curious goats who are hungry for our lunch. So back in the bag. When you are near Castelmezzano, this place is actually a mandatory part of your trip. This village is truly a gem in the landscape! Tonight we are the only guests in the agriturismo. As a surprise we are taken out to dinner by Peppino and Maria Giovanna. We tear through the dark in Peppino's Fiat, and on board there is a lot of chatter.
The Flying Ship
Maria Giovanna sits next to me in the back seat and is constantly on the phone with various people. She exuberantly tells everyone that they go out for dinner with their Dutch guests. When we drive into a parking lot we see a kind of shed. The Flying Ship, in Vaglio. Once inside it's like stepping into a movie, because the inside of the warehouse is decorated like a pirate ship, with benches, lanterns, ropes and everything you can imagine on a pirate boat.
When we walk through the boat after our host and lady, we are looked at from all sides. We are truly head and shoulders above everyone else. Once at the table, the waiter starts talking about Van Basten, of course, and you can enjoy fries as a starter and then a good pizza. All in all a very pleasant evening, and what a hospitality, because we are not allowed to pay anything from the bill.
Thursday
In the newspaper we see that the weather is bad throughout southern Italy. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to it. In the west Basilicata also borders the sea, but here it is the Tyrrhenian. It is a nice drive from the agriturismo, but that is not a punishment here, because everywhere you drive you are surrounded by rugged rock formations and wild nature. It's overwhelming.
Maratea
We have chosen Maratea as a destination, the large Christ statue is not to be missed. The sign 'Mare' takes us to a deserted pebble beach with huge chunks of rock in which caves have formed. Very handy, because it's just starting to rain. The coastline, which we admire a little later from above, is truly spectacular. What a beautiful place! We have to use our creativity to peer under the black sky, but take a look on the internet, there are a lot of photos where the sun does shine, you will be surprised how beautiful it is!
The elevated center of Maratea is nice to stroll around, and there are cozy restaurants. You can walk to the Christ statue. It is unexpectedly touristy, complete with some market stalls with knick knacks. The view, that's what you have to do it for!
In the evening we have to deal with heavy showers and it will be exciting whether we will be at the agriturismo in time for dinner. One minute before the start we are in the dining room. The Dutch are always on time, say the Italians. So be it. Like every night Peppino comes to our table to ask how our day was, where we've been. Always a nice chat as if we have known each other for years.
Friday
Today is our last day here. When we look back on the week, we unfortunately have to conclude that we have not had the most wonderful weather. Nevertheless, Basilicata managed to surprise us. How beautiful it is! We have never seen it anywhere else in Italy as rugged and inhospitable as it is here.
When you drive around here, you see abandoned houses all over the landscape, and sometimes entire villages. It has something. Who lived there, why did they leave? Your imagination can run wild with it. It is also nice to see how nature takes its course here. Abandoned buildings seem to be eaten by the vegetation. Trees through the roof, bushes through the walls, slowly all traces are erased.
Potenza
Besides packing the suitcases, we want to get out the door for a while. We drive to the capital Potenza for some shopping. It is a city with many churches, some of which are worth a look inside. Also some larger shopping streets. In a store with CDs we look for something from Ligabue. Immediately two customers help with the search. And meanwhile they ask about everything. They are very friendly and very curious here is our experience.
I also buy a large book full of sunny photos of Basilicata. Besides the sun, there are many other things in it that we have not seen this week. All in all, that is a reason for us to visit Basilicata again in the future, and this agriturismo too. I can therefore say that it is highly recommended, but I do want to make the comment that it is useful if you speak a word of Italian. You will almost certainly need it here to make yourself understood, and it opens many doors.
Continue to Tivoli
In the afternoon we are offered a cooking course, and we learn to make the traditional pasta, and some more dishes. I'm a klutz in the kitchen, but this is a lot of fun. And of course we can eat everything in the evening! The next day we leave early, because we have to cover a lot of kilometers again. We will continue our honeymoon in Tivoli, where it is warm and sunny, the newspaper says. But again we drive away with a lump in our throats.
'Cause we're about Basilicata is definitely NOT the region you want to ignore, it is the region you absolutely must see!
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