Acerenza
It is one of Italy's most beautiful villages and "Cathedral city". The ancient Acheruntia, inhabited since the 6th century BC, mentioned by the latin poet Horace, overlooks the river Bradano valley. The historic past of Acerenza, roman town first, then norman and finally renaissance, is visible in…
Atella
Situated just west of Venosa, excavations at Atella have revealed evidence of prehistoric elephant hunting; it is thought that a particular hunting technique involving bogging an elephant down in thick mud was used.Worth a visit are the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo which has a cave church…
Banzi
It was born in the centre of the Bradano Valley and is surrounded, like the rest of the Vulture, by the charm of history. Seat of the oldest abbey of Basilicata, Benedictine and dedicated to Saint Mary dating back to the 9th century, of which the remains are still visible today, boasts a…
Barile
It is one of the towns of Arbëreshë origin in Basilicata, whose origins are still reflected today in the traditions and architecture of the historic centre, made up of arches, portals, alleys and buildings attributable to the Albanian influence. A remarkable landmark is the Steccato Fountain, built…
Cancellara
Lying on the top of a mountain, it looks like a nativity scene to those who meet it for the first time. Ancient huts leaning against each other huddle around the baronial castle, leaving room for narrow streets that wind their way through the architectural beauties of the place, guiding the visitor…
Forenza
The village of Forenza, with its charming, narrow streets and lovely views, can be found south of Venosa, close to the site of the ancient city of Forentum which is mentioned by historical writers such as Horace, Livy, Diodorus Siculus and Pliny. Also worth a visit are the Rock of San Biagio, a…
Genzano di Lucania
Like the pieces of a puzzle, the houses of Genzano di Lucania fit perfectly together on a spur in the upper Bradano Valley, interrupting the uncontaminated natural continuum that frames them. Among the huts of this ancient Roman settlement it is worth exploring the Church of the Annunziata, from…
Ginestra
It is the third arbëreshë town of Vulture, after Barile and Maschito. A journey into the past is what a simple walk through the narrow streets of the village looks like. The streets indicated with the double denomination, Albanian and Italian, the characteristic buildings such as Palazzo…
Lavello
A small village rich in history, it presents itself to visitors with the Norman-Swabian castle where Corrado IV, son of Frederick II, died, an evocative building now the town hall, next to which stands the Cathedral of San Mauro dating back to the 11th century. Of the walls, a symbol of the…
Maschito
Maschito too, like Barile and Ginestra, has Arbëreshë origins whose traces are very evident in the everyday dialect, in famous proverbs and in one of the key events of the summer program of the place: the Retnes, a historical re-enactment of the clashes between Greeks Coronei and Albanian…
Melfi
Melfi is located in the north-east area of the region and is for sure one of the most interesting city to visit. The city has an illoustrious past: beloved by the Normans of Guiscardo and Frederick II of Swabia, Melfi was the regional capital of Duchy of Apulia during the 12th century. Built around…
Montemilone
It is located a few kilometres from the border with Puglia and, although very small, it combines the splendid landscape in which it stands out with the historical echo that crosses it. Ancient portals and characteristic houses give it a unique charm. Numerous points of interest, such as the…
Oppido Lucano
Its name derives from “oppidum”, a fortified city, and suggests a certain solemnity that the visitor also finds in a series of architectural structures scattered in the streets, such as the old castle, once known as the “magnum castrum”, built between 1047 and 1051, whose…
Palazzo San Gervasio
It is a manor castle, also known as Palazzo Marchesaleand it was used by Frederick II to breed horses, signalling the presence of this village on top of a promontory where the gaze is lost in the panorama of the Apulian Murgia. Studded with ancient churches, such as that of San Rocco, of the SS…
Rapolla
The houses of this small village of the Vulture seem to cling to the green hill on which their foundations rest. Between them is enclosed an inviting thermal establishment, while in the historic centre the protagonists are the Cathedral of the Assunta, from the thirteenth century, which welcomes…
Rionero in Vulture
Surrounded by unspoiled natural beauty, Rionero rises on two hills on the slopes of Monte Vulture, an ancient extinct volcano. The Grotticelle Nature Reserve, habitat of the rare butterfly Acanthobramaea europaea, and the wonderful Monticchio lakes, two stretches of water of volcanic origin that…
Ripacandida
Ripacandida, city of honey, wine and oil, but also the home of saints and lords, stands out from the top of a withish hill, from which its name derives. In this small town of the Vulture area there is a church, dedicated to Saint Donato, richly decorated with a series of frescoes, which, due to the…
Ruvo del Monte
In the silent and luxuriant hilly nature of the north-eastern area of Basilicata, this small village of Samnite origin emerges. Surrounded by greenery it stands out with its Angevin Tower and the remains of the castle to which it belonged. Its story is narrated within the walls of the Museum of…
San Chirico Nuovo
The numerous archaeological finds make this village authentic and evocative. Ancient, born in the sixth century BC, it expresses its beauty in the works of art kept in the Mother Church of San Nicola di Bari, in that of San Giovanni, in what remains of the three floors of the feudal castle, where…
San Fele
In this small village the legacy left by feudalism can be glimpsed in the remains of a castle and between the walls of the Church of Santa Maria della Quercia and the Sanctuary of Madonna di Pierno, which make the scenery even more fascinating. Found south west of the Monticchio Lakes, San Fele is…
Tolve
The hilltop town of Tolve is located north of Castelmezzano, an ancient Medieval centre, defended on a cliff and dominated by the remains of its ancient Castle. The feast of San Rocco is celebrated here in August and September. Other points of interest include the portal of the Church of San Pietro…
