15 experiences that you can have only in Basilicata

Sleep in the Sassi di Matera, walk across Tibetan bridges, climb to the Christ of Maratea, stroll through ancient cave churches, participate in evocative tree rituals like the May Festival of Accettura, or stay at Palazzo Margherita, owned by the Coppola family.

These are just some of the unique experiences that you can only enjoy in Basilicata. A wild and authentic land still waiting to be discovered. Mark these 15 experiences to see the best of Basilicata.

High above the Dolomiti Lucane, in the heart of Basilicata, a double steel cable stretching 1,550 meters and suspended between the peaks of two towns, Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa, offers a unique thrill: the Flight of the Angel.

Perfectly harnessed, you can fly alone or as a couple at a maximum speed of 120 km/h from one peak to another for 80 exhilarating seconds, while below you unfolds the spectacular Lucanian landscape, if you can manage to keep your eyes open.

At the highest point, the distance from the ground is 450 meters, so it's not an experience for those with a fear of heights.

For the brave hearts, there are two flights, round trip. Once you're back on solid ground, explore the villages of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano, nestled between the spectacular rock spires of the Dolomiti Lucane, nicknamed "the golden eagle," "the owl," and "the lion's mouth."

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Still in Basilicata but further south, in the Pollino National Park on the border with Calabria, you can find the Flight of the Eagle.

It's a flight experience similar to that of the Angel, but this one visually simulates the flight of a hang-glider.

The system allows four people to fly at a time, side by side, at a maximum speed of 80 km/h, hooked to a 984-meter cable, the longest in the world among the 14 flyers installed in various countries. While there are other similar zip lines and flights in Italy, the Flight of the Angel and the Flight of the Eagle set against the stunning Lucanian landscape are truly unique.

In Matera, the third oldest city in the world, you can sleep in the so-called Sassi, homes carved into tuff where humans lived alongside animals until the 1950s.

These ancient cave houses embedded in the rock overlooking the Gravina River and the Murgia Park, like in a scenic natural amphitheater, now host boutique hotels, spread hotels, and charming residences.

Lavish suites with private pools, spas carved into tuff, and panoramic windows combine ancient charm and modern elegance. Among the best hotels in the Sassi of Matera with cave rooms is certainly Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, a spread hotel with a view of the Murgia Materana and breakfast served in a deconsecrated church from the 1200s.

Alternatively, other remarkable accommodations include the cave rooms of Sant'Angelo Luxury Resort, Hotel in Pietra, Caveoso Hotel, and Corte San Pietro.

Among the most recent hotels in the Sassi of Matera, the Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa offers cave rooms equipped with the latest technologies, featuring large windows, patios, and panoramic terraces, recreating the atmosphere of an ancient village.

Ancient cisterns and traditional basins once used daily by the inhabitants of the Sassi of Matera have now been transformed into jacuzzi tubs and elegant swimming pools. Indulging in a wellness journey and staying in the boutique hotels of the Sassi of Matera is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Photo: © Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita

Nature is the real spectacle of Basilicata, astonishing with its environmental diversity. Plateaus covered with vineyards in Vulture, forests and mountains in the Dolomiti Lucane and Pollino areas, sun-soaked plains like Metaponto, steep and barren ravines in the Matera hills.

And the lucky part is being able to quickly move from one landscape to another in this small region.

For example, from Potenza, you can reach the Sellata Pierfaone ski slopes in about half an hour by car or Maratea, the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in about an hour and a half. In the same day, you could move from the mountain to the sea without even realizing it.

Pristine nature and cave churches testify to a thousand-year history that tells of the ancient bond between nature and man in Basilicata. Surrounding Matera is the Regional Archaeological Historical Natural Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera, more simply known as the Murgia Materana Park.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the park spans over 6,000 hectares and hides natural treasures and historical evidence dating back to prehistory.

The park is characterized by broken limestone rock with deep ravines that create cliffs, caves, and ravines where humans have settled since prehistoric times.

Among the most beautiful views is the spectacular Gravina of Matera, an enormous limestone gorge that stretches through the territory for twenty kilometers, reaching the town of Montescaglioso.

In this prehistoric area, you will discover evidence of the Paleolithic, such as the cave of the bats, and of the Neolithic, including numerous fortified villages. But what strikes the most is the presence of about 150 rupestrian churches scattered along the Murgia and the Gravines.

These small rural sanctuaries, embedded in the rock, with the first settlements dating back to the 8th century, are believed to be linked to the presence of Benedictine and Byzantine monastic communities.

Accettura, an ancient village in the province of Matera located in the heart of the Gallipoli Cognato Park, is known for the so-called May Festival of Accettura.

It is an evocative tree ritual, the origins of which are so ancient that they have been lost in time. The festival, held on the days of Pentecost in celebration of the patron saint St. Julian, celebrates the union of two trees, a huge beech (the "May", representing the male) and a "Cima" (a holly bush), the queen of the forest and symbol of fertility, which are cut down, transported with oxen into town, grafted together, and raised to the sky in a sort of allegorical marriage that connects earth and heaven, the source of all fertility.

Similar tree ritual festivals are also held in other nearby towns in Basilicata like Castelmezzano, Pietrapertosa, and Oliveto Lucano. But participating in the May Festival of Accettura is a unique experience to try at least once in Basilicata.

The Carnival of Satriano di Lucania is the most evocative Carnival in Basilicata, known for its traditional tree rituals.

It usually takes place on the Saturday and Sunday before Fat Tuesday and is characterized by a special parade through the streets of the town. The typical masks are three. The first is that of the bear, a man-animal dressed in sheep or goat skins, symbolizing prosperity, good fortune, and success.

The bear represents the citizen of Satriano who emigrated in search of fortune, mute and with a covered face. The second mask is that of the hermit (U'Rumit), a man-vegetable resembling a wandering tree, covered with leaves, vines, and other plants. It is another silent mask that represents the satrianese who remained faithful to his land. The last Sunday before Fat Tuesday, the rumitas come out of the woods and knock on the doors of houses as a sign of good fortune for the spring in exchange for gifts. Lastly, the third mask is that of Lent (A Quares'm), an elderly and melancholic woman dressed in black, carrying a cradle with the child conceived during the period of Carnival, who, however, does not know his father. Normally, the Carnival of Satriano di Lucania anticipates the wedding parade with a role reversal between men and women, the parade of traditional masks, the day of the rumita, and the Walking Forest, concluding with a bonfire and a concert.

Basilicata is home to the longest Tibetan bridge in the world. Located in Castelsaraceno, known as the heart-shaped village, its first settlement was built by the Saracens in 1031. It is a 586-meter-long bridge standing 80 meters above the ground, promising a thrilling walk over the spectacular Lucanian landscape.

Suspended in the air, you can walk slowly over the mountains and forests of Basilicata. The Tibetan bridge, inaugurated last summer, is also an extraordinary engineering feat that required two years of work, 24 tons of steel, and 1,160 walkable crossbars. All that remains is to cross it in a single breath.

If you've become fond of the Tibetan bridges, know that there are others in Sasso di Castalda.

In this village in the Lucanian Apennine National Park, there is a path of Tibetan bridges that runs along the banks of the Arenazzo Stream, right at the foot of the historic center.

Through the narrow streets that branch out between the characteristic stone houses of the village, you reach the starting point of the first bridge, Ponte Petracca, which is 95 meters long and suspended about 30 meters high. Following the path along the bank of the stream, you pass the votive chapel of Our Lady of Graces and arrive in 10 minutes at the starting point of the impressive Ponte alla Luna, which is 300 meters long and suspended 102 meters above the underlying torrent.

Walking in the sky brings you to the ruins of the castle that dominates the village from a picturesque viewpoint. At the end of the bridge, a glass sky-walk will take your breath away while you realize the journey you've just completed.

Another unique experience that will take you to touch the sky is the hike up Mount San Biagio in Maratea, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer stands tall.

Second in size only to the Christ of Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, the statue in Maratea is 21 meters tall, with an arm span of 19 meters and a face measuring 3 meters. The statue, made of reinforced concrete coated with white cement and Carrara marble, is the work of Florentine sculptor Bruno Innocenzi (1906-1986), commissioned by Count Stefano Rivetti di Valcervo. The Christ was erected in 1965 at the summit of Mount San Biagio, 620 meters above sea level, where the ancient Maratea once stood.

From the viewpoint at the base of the statue, you can enjoy a breathtaking 360° panorama of the town of Maratea, the mountains, the Tyrrhenian coast, and the blue sea that bathes both Basilicata and Calabria. The view becomes particularly magical at sunset in summer, when the sun tinges the sky pink, the sea sparkles on the horizon, and the lights of the evening begin to illuminate the coast. One of the most romantic spots in Basilicata.

A unique experience for film buffs in Basilicata is a stay or even just a dinner at Palazzo Margherita, the five-star hotel that Francis Ford Coppola built in the town where his grandfather Agostino lived before emigrating to the United States in 1904. Palazzo Margherita is an ancient and charming residence located in the picturesque town of Bernalda, just a few minutes' drive from the Ionian coast.

Palazzo Margherita was built in 1892 in Bernalda by the Margherita family. Francis Ford Coppola then purchased it in 2004 with the desire to transform it into a small luxurious Italian boutique hotel, believing it was time to showcase this beautiful and still unknown region to visitors.

The palace has been completely restored by Francis Ford Coppola and renowned French designer Jacques Grange, who created 9 luxurious rooms, romantic gardens, and a green swimming pool.

But Coppola wanted Palazzo to become a place that his children would want to visit again and again, so he invited his entire family to contribute ideas to the project. It is this sense of family that distinguishes Palazzo Margherita. It is also at Palazzo Margherita that Sofia Coppola celebrated her wedding to Thomas Mars in 2011, transforming Bernalda into a small Hollywood. Today guests at Palazzo Bernalda can relax in this intimate hotel and enjoy experiences tailored to them (from olive harvesting to truffle hunting). Share in some stories of the Coppola family.

Witnessing sunrise among the calanchi of Aliano after a night filled with music, performances, and poetry is possible only at the festival La Luna e i Calanchi, conceived by writer Franco Arminio.

The festival aims to gather around the town of Aliano, depicted by Carlo Levi in Christ Stopped at Eboli, the best of the civil and artistic tensions that are emerging in the inner Mediterranean, with a special focus, of course, on what is happening in Lucania and the neighboring regions. The town described by Levi thus becomes a symbol of a south that builds new stories linked to a new relationship with its towns and landscapes.

La Luna e i Calanchi is not a festival where people come to showcase their art in the logic of mere cultural consumption. In Aliano, people come to build a new intellectual community that speaks not only to Lucania and the South but to all of Italy and Europe, a community that intertwines various arts with one another and then intertwines them with the landscape and its inhabitants - as stated in the festival's presentation - It's an attempt to combine art and environment in a union not subservient to the logic of pure cultural consumption. The idea is that the townspeople, invited artists, and festival visitors constitute a temporary community capable of instilling confidence in the lives of small towns.

The king of Lucanian cuisine is the peperone crusco, an ancient product from the farming tradition that has now captured the attention of many renowned chefs.

The peperoni cruschi are sweet, with a deep red color and an unmistakable texture. They are recognized by their unique crunchiness due to two processes: drying and then frying that make the peppers "cruschi". In particular, those from Senise have obtained the IGP mark but they are found throughout Basilicata. Peperoni cruschi are so common in Lucanian cuisine that you will find them in every dish. If you like them, you might even enjoy a whole meal, from appetizer to dessert, based on cruschi.

For example, you can start with cruschi cheese or cheese served with cruschi, followed by a dish of strascinati with breadcrumbs, cacioricotta, and cruschi. For the main course, baccalà with cruschi. And to finish, chocolate with cruschi. These peppers are so beloved in Basilicata that they even accompany sushi and have become a snack to enjoy anywhere and at any time of the day. So, all you have to do is go to Basilicata to try the real peperoni cruschi.

At the end of May, Potenza hosts the historic Parade of the Turks in celebration of the patron saint, St. Gerardo. On May 29, 1,250 participants (including 290 musicians and 34 horsemen) parade in costume through the streets of the Lucanian capital.

But before the parade, one of the most anticipated events by the people of Potenza takes place: the communal lunch organized by the association of the Saint's bearers, held in one of the central squares. Up to 400 people gather for lunch in the square, drinking local wine and dancing tarantellas. May 30 is then dedicated to religious celebrations. However, the festivities actually begin days earlier with concerts and side events that involve all citizens.

The celebrations dedicated to St. Gerardo thus transform Potenza into a continuous festival that attracts residents of Potenza from all over. According to local legends, the roots of the festival can be traced back to an invasion of Potenza by the Turkish army that arrived in the city after coming up the Basento River. The powerless citizens before the invading army turned to Bishop Gerardo La Porta, who, invoking a host of warrior angels, liberated the city performing a miracle. However, this supposed invasion does not find historical evidence; more likely, Gerardo La Porta began to be venerated after he was sent by the Holy See to counter the spread of the Cathar heresy.

Walk between sea, land, and sky along the Mediterranean Path that starts from Maratea. It is a 1,460 km long trail that crosses Italy, France, and Spain, forming almost a ring in the Mediterranean Sea. Developed by the European Rumblers Association and the Italian Hiking Federation, the Mediterranean Path is an ancient route crossed over time by pilgrims and merchants that follows medieval communication routes. The trail begins in Maratea and follows the entire Lucanian Tyrrhenian coast, which is about 32 km long, with a constant view of the sea. The starting point is Castrocucco Beach, on the border between Basilicata and Calabria.

Thus, you traverse the dolomitic ridge leading to the cove of Capo La Secca, where fish farming was practiced during Roman times. Continuing along the path overshadowed by the castle of Castrocucco, you pass by the beach of Orto, where you can take a dip in the blue and admire the seagrass meadows. You then arrive at the scenic Punta Caina, lapped by crystal-clear waters, and overlooked by a medieval tower refurbished during the Kingdom of Naples as a defense against the Saracens. Finally, you reach Marina di Maratea before leaving Basilicata and continuing along the Tyrrhenian coast.