| The southern Italian region of Basilicata borders on | | | | d'Anglona. While there are good hotels in Matera, |
| Campania to the west, Puglia (Apulia) to the east, | | | | staying in the rock dwellings is a very different |
| and Calabria to the south, and has a short | | | | experience, and hotels like Hotel Sant'Angelo, |
| coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea and another on | | | | made up of 16 historical dwellings that have been |
| the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea to the | | | | reformed into living areas, include all mod cons. |
| southeast. While it's not the first place you might | | | | Another accommodation alternative in the old |
| think of for a holiday in Italy, the region has a | | | | town is one of the many B&Bs where you'll |
| special charm that is slowly being discovered by | | | | have a chance to interact with locals and enjoy |
| visitors who are keen to get away from the | | | | delicious home cooking. |
| more touristy parts of Italy. | | | | Potenza, the capital of Basilicata, is of pre-Roman |
| Basilicata offers stunning arid mountain scenery | | | | origins, and its Saint Gerard Cathedral was rebuilt |
| and inland villages, perched on the hills, where time | | | | at the end of the 1700s. The city's Provincial |
| seems to have stood still. On the coast there are | | | | Archeological Museum houses an important |
| charming villages and seaside resorts such as Lido | | | | prehistoric collection, an interesting ethnographic |
| di Metaponto, with its archaeological relics, Marina | | | | section, and numerous Greek and Roman |
| di Pisticci, Lido di Scanzano, and Lido di Policoro. | | | | treasures including the Tempietto and the Statuina |
| Remains of the Roman Era can be seen in | | | | di Persefone. |
| Venosa along with medieval art. Basilicata is | | | | One of Potenza province's most historic towns, |
| divided into two provinces: Potenza and Matera. | | | | Rivello, set on a strategic ridge that overlooks the |
| Matera and the sassi | | | | Noce Valley and Mount Sirino, has a fascinating |
| In Matera, the Ridola National Museum holds | | | | mixture of Longobard and Byzantine architecture. |
| Paleolithic relics and ceramics that date back to | | | | Also worth visiting are the Convent of |
| the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages. Just outside | | | | Sant'Antonio da Padova and Santa Barbara's |
| the city are distinctive ancient settlements, known | | | | Church. The Byzantine Church of San Michele dei |
| as sassi, that have been declared a World | | | | Greci features a Neapolitan school polyptych |
| Heritage Site. These well-preserved settlements | | | | dating from 1614. |
| have been cut from rock and include over 100 | | | | The Vulture area |
| rock churches from Greek-Byzantine Monastic | | | | In the north of the province of Potenza, fertile |
| civilizations. Important sassi include Montescaglioso, | | | | soils allow the cultivation of excellent grapes and |
| with its commanding medieval Abbey of S. | | | | olives. Here the two beautiful lakes of Monticchio |
| Angelo; Miglionico, known for its fine Norman | | | | lie within an old volcano, not far from the two |
| castle; | | | | castles of Frederick II of Swabia at Castel |
| Irsina, famous for the 12th century Monastery of | | | | Lagopesole and Melfi. The Norman S. Lucia Church |
| S. Francesco, its crypt decorated with fine | | | | at Rapolla, Venosa, known for its famous Abbey |
| frescoes; Tricarico, with its medieval religious | | | | of the Trinità, and Acerenza, with its |
| buildings; Pisticci, known for its rows of white | | | | thirteenth-century cathedral, are additional district |
| houses; and Tursi, set above the Sinni River | | | | architectural attractions. |
| valley, and the nearby lone church of S. Maria | | | | |