The southern Italian region of Basilicata borders on Campania to the west, Puglia (Apulia) to the east, and Calabria to the south, and has a short coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea and another on the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea to the southeast. While its not the first place you might think of for a holiday in Italy, the region has a special charm that is slowly being discovered by visitors who are keen to get away from the more touristy parts of Italy.
Basilicata offers stunning arid mountain scenery and inland villages, perched on the hills, where time seems to have stood still. On the coast there are charming villages and seaside resorts such as Lido di Metaponto, with its archaeological relics, Marina di Pisticci, Lido di Scanzano, and Lido di Policoro. Remains of the Roman Era can be seen in Venosa along with medieval art. Basilicata is divided into two provinces: Potenza and Matera.
Matera and the sassi
In Matera, the Ridola National Museum holds Paleolithic relics and ceramics that date back to the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages. Just outside the city are distinctive ancient settlements, known as sassi, that have been declared a World Heritage...