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Discover Basilicata
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Invincible Penguin profile picture
Invincible Penguin
My great-great grandparents left their home in Barile, Basilicata a century ago to emigrate to new opportunities in the US. Last year I went back to discover some of my roots. What I found was a virtually unspoiled landscape of mountains, farms and s...
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Barile & Rionero in Vulture
 
Pietragalla
 
Castlemezzano
 
Matera
 
Metaponto
 
Craco

Barile & Rionero in Vulture

This small village perched on the flanks of an extinct volcano was the home of my Great-great grandparents. It remains today a lovely rural village with only a small modern section on the edge of town. The town is known for wine and grapes are grown ...

 
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Barile, known as the city of wine, may only be a small village, but it's definitely worth a stop. Surrounded by farms and a mountain top nature park, featuring a lake in the crater of an extinct volcano, you won't lake for things to see and do. Take ...
The wine caves of Barile Basilicata Italy Postcard
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This lovely looking place was unfortunately closed the day we were there, but I would have loved to have tried it. I guess I need to go back!
AL BOSCHETTO, Barile - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor
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Boisterous and inexpensive, this seemed to be the place the town gathered. The food was good and plentiful.
OLD STORIES PUB BIRRERIA PIZZERIA, Barile - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor
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Ah - for the time to really explore. Hiking trails and in the fall porcini mushrooms!
Parco Naturale Regionale del Vulture
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Keep an eye on the schedule - it isn't open every day.
Museo del Brigantaggio – ProLoco Rionero
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You've probably never heard of Aglianico del Vulture wines, but you should have. For a taste of the city of wine, stop by this winery in Rionero for a taste of Barile - the city of wines!
Cantine del Notaio (2025) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)
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Pietragalla

A tiny village on the way to almost no where, it's still well worth swinging by to see the Palmenti - wine production cellars carved down into the rock and topped with domes made of the same tufo stone, then covered in earth. 

 
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There's a large (and free) parking area just across the road from this park. Not only will you get to visit the wine cellars (a few of which are unused and open, so that you can go inside), you'll also get a sweeping view of the valley below and the ...
One cave still produces wine - you won't find a website or a any reviews or even a slick ad - but if you walk to the edge of the park you'll find a little building with a sandwich board outside and wine inside. Antonio Nolè, a thirty-three-year-old f...
Il Parco dei Palmenti Pietragalla Italy Wine Caves Postcard
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Castlemezzano

Tucked high in the mountains Castelmezzano (and it's sister city Pietrapertosa, which we did not have time to see) is a sight to see. If you have the time to stay a while there's a ton of hiking trails - including one that goes city to city. The town... 

 
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We arrived just in time for a passing shower that produced a gorgeous rainbow!
Castelmezzano Basilicata Italia Rainbow Postcard
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There's a lot of hiking around these small towns! This trail is challenging - down from one, up to the next and back.
The seven stone path
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Being early in the season, many places were not open yet, but that said, this place was wonderful. They use all local Basilicata ingredients.
PEPERUSKO, Castelmezzano - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor
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Staying for at least one evening is well worth it!
Castelmezzano Basilicata Italia Scenic Nighttime Postcard
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Matera

The oldest city in Europe, Matera has been continuously occupied for at least 10,000 years! Wow.. This city is absolutely beautiful. We gave the rental car a rest, parked it in a garage for a few days and explored this gorgeous city and it's environs... 

 
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The Sassi of Matera, also known as the white city.
Matera Basilicata Italy Postcard
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Not your average carefully curated museum of glass cases - this is a riotous collection of everything from everyday life in Matera. Definitely a do not miss spot.
Museo Laboratorio della Civilta Contadina (2025) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)
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A group of 3 National museums. Each is fairly small - there is a history museum with a wonderful collection of greek and roman items, an art museum with several galleries from contemporary to religious artworks and a small gallery of modern art that ...
Sedi - Musei nazionali di Matera
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There are a number of cave house tours - we happened upon this one. It includes a restored cave house, furnished in the manner it would likely have been when inhabited and next door a translated film of the history of Matera.
Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario (2025) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)
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Do not miss the opportunity to hike the Belvedere Murgia Timone. You'll walk an amazing wild gorge (there are boars down there! cross a suspension bridge and up to a plateau that gives you a sweeping view of the entire Sassi di Matera. In spring it w...
Hiking to the Belvedere in Matera
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Metaponto

Metaponto is a little seaside town that is mainly a summer attraction for locals. I went because of it's ancient Greek and Roman ruins. The archeological museum was, sadly, closed for renovations but we were able to visit open air park for free.

 
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A large area of excavations of very old Greek and then Roman settlement.
Metaponto Parco Archeologico
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Craco

This once bustling town experienced a series of landslides in the 1960's that started it's decline. An earthquake in 1980 sealed it's fate and the city was entirely evacuated. Today you can visit, but only with an official tour, and a hard hat.

 
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Visit a town frozen in time. Craco was entirely abandoned in 1980.
Craco Ghost Town Basilicata Italy Postcard
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To visit Craco, go to the small museum at the base of the town and purchase a ticket. You'll need to walk or drive up the hill to join the tour, which starts at the gate. English guides are not guaranteed, but there is a translated audio tour availab...
Craco tours
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When you are finished at Craco drive the back roads through the lunar landscape of the Parco dei Calanchi di Ailano. You proabably won't find this road or park in your GPS, so be prepared to route find a bit… The road is narrow, it has some whoppers ...
Camminare tra i calanchi
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Grumento Nova

A charming little town perched high on a hill. There's one big draw here - the archeological park of Grumentum down in the valley. There's a big Roman city being slowly uncovered, as well as a very nice museum housing many of the finds. We were so lu... 

 
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A large roman archeological site and museum located at the base of the “New” village of Grumento.
Grumentum
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