Vacation in Basilicata

So many beautiful places, so little time. How to decide on your next travel destination? An old standby or off the beaten path? A vacation in Basilicata, perhaps? 

Glossy magazine and newspaper articles outline a perfect weekend in Venice or Sorrento, recommending the “best” hotel, coffee bar, restaurant, museum, sites and shops. Who are you to branch out and venture off traditional tourist routes to explore a place few have heard of? The masses follow the experts’ advice, often paid advertisements by the “best” hotel, coffee bar, etc. Why not try something different?

WHERE IS BASILICATA?

Italy’s territory is divided into twenty regions. A few of the better known are on the tip of everyone’s tongue, like Tuscany or Sicily, Toscana and Sicilia in Italian. Then there are the regions whose largest cities are famous, such as Rome and Naples, but their regional names may elude us, which is understandable. Most Jeopardy contestants would have difficulty coming up with Lazio (Roma) or Campania (Napoli).

Interestingly, Italians had trouble identifying Basilicata until a popular comic film enlightened the general population in 2010. Looking at a map, Basilicata is in Southern Italy and at first glance appears landlocked between Campania, Puglia and Calabria. Upon closer inspection, two small stretches of coastline, about 20 to 25-miles each, give access on the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and the Ionian to the southeast. The film that put the region on the map for Italians was appropriately entitled Basilicata Coast to Coast (the original title is in English).

Basilicata has the second lowest population density of the twenty Italian regions. The largely mountainous and hilly terrain kept areas remote for a long time, which has many positives for the contemporary traveler.

ADMIRE DIVERSE LANDSCAPES ON A VACATION IN BASILICATA

Place names tend to conjure images in the mind’s eye. What does Basilicata evoke? If you haven’t traveled there, you would be surprised how varied the landscape is. Those who have read Carlo Levi’s Christ Stopped at Eboli may think that the whole region consists of calanchi, badlands or dry, weathered terrain.

And yet, there are numerous forested mountains, such as the Pollino Mountains that straddle Basilicata and Calabria to form Italy’s largest national park.

There’s even an extinct volcano with lakes in its former crater!

The many rivers and natural springs supply an abundance of fresh water.

The western coast is dramatic with mountains meeting the sea.

The eastern coastline is flatter, featuring a long beach, popular with Italian tourists, and where, in the opening scene of the well-known Imma Tataranni Italian crime series, a finger floats by the assistant prosecutor, paddling in the sea on a family vacation.

Basilicata capitalizes on its agricultural land, as well, from fruit cultivation in the southeastern plain to olive groves and vineyards in the hills throughout the region.

EXCELLENT FOOD AND WINE ON A VACATION IN BASILICATA

In Italy, culinary tradition stems from village and provincial levels, a characteristic that prompted UNESCO’s recent recognition of Italian food. Basilicata is best known for its distinctive peperoni cruschi, sweet crunchy peppers originating in the Pollino Mountains, and Aglianico del Vulture wine from the northern part of the region.

Suffice it to say, like the landscape, the food is quite varied. Traditions remain strong, also thanks to geographical isolation. I enjoy the farm-to-table dining that never left countryside cuisine.

HISTORY AND CULTURE OF BASILICATA

Just because a place may be considered out of the way in our times doesn’t mean that was the case throughout history. Basilicata is a prime example. Nine national archeological museums document the rich heritage of the area’s ancient peoples, with the Greeks and Romans being only part of the stories chronicled at the region’s institutions.

The medieval world built an astounding number of churches and castles, many perched on hilltops in seemingly unreachable locations. Here I am on the grounds of a former castle with the 1,000-year-old “Norman staircase” carved into the smooth rock face behind me.

Movie directors love Basilicata’s striking landscapes. Wine enthusiasts may have seen From the Vine, which showcases Acerenza, a hill town in the northern part of the region. Numerous films capitalize on the eerie, ghost-town atmosphere of the abandoned old village of Craco.

And the list of films and TV shows featuring Matera seems to get longer by the day.

MATERA ON A VACATION IN BASILICATA

Matera is unique, like an otherworldly combination of Venice and the Grand Canyon. The city was carved out of the native rock along one side of a large ravine in eastern Basilicata. The individual structures unfold organically to create an incredible urban conglomeration. The result is captivating. You can read about Matera or the Città dei Sassi, City of Stones as it is called, in my book Basilicata: Authentic Italy, and more briefly on my blogpost The Transformation of Matera.

Everything from cave churches and houses to elegant art museums and fine dining awaits the visitor to Matera. The “Sassi” neighborhood isn’t just any piece of real estate. You have to see it to believe it.

ADVENTURES ON A VACATION IN BASILICATA

Off the beaten path doesn’t mean you’ll be camping off the grid, not that there’s anything wrong with that. The region offers everything from glamping to five-star cave accommodations. Basilicata also prides itself as a great place for adventure, with several Tibetan bridges dangling from one cliff to another and the Volo dell’Angelo or Angel’s Flight. This is me “flying.” I can’t say I felt like an angel, but I survived it to pen a thorough description of the experience in my book.

I’m more comfortable with an adventure when my feet are somewhere on the ground. Enjoying outstanding food with good company in a beautiful location with congenial hosts is always a wonderful experience for me. Here’s a fun adventure from my Basilicata Cultural Tour last year.

This blogpost isn’t meant to be a formula for the perfect long weekend, but a glimpse of an alternative for the curious, the adventurous of spirit. As I’ve said, Basilicata is an authentic Italy, off the radar for most travelers, a place to be explored while there’s still room to breathe.

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Join me on my highly rated, small-group BASILICATA CULTURAL TOUR this fall and experience this beautiful region for yourself!

Read more about this Southern Italian region in my book Basilicata: Authentic Italy  and about its neighbor in Calabria: The Other Italy!

Follow me on social media: Basilicata Facebook page, Calabria: The Other Italy’s Facebook page, Karen’s Instagram and Karen’s Twitter for beautiful pictures and information.
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CALABRIA: The Other Italy and BASILICATA: Authentic Italy make great gifts!