American World Traveler Spring 2019 Issue

74
Lucanian Dolomites
Charm around every corner, our visit to the
twin towns of Pietrapertosa and
Castelmezzano was like being in another
postcard. This is the mountainous part of
Basilicata and driving there is half the fun
with great views of an unspoiled and wellkept
farms and vineyards. The locals welcomed
us with open arms and we felt like
family in no time. This is truly an Italian hidden
gem!
Potenza
This lovely area has withstood bombs, invasions
and earthquakes, and it is a treasurefilled
town for visitors. I particularly enjoyed
the San Francesco church which has been in
existence since 1274 with a classic bell
tower that dates from the 15th century. Our
visit to the National Archaeological Museum
is a trip into the past, with a twist, the building
housing it is the Palazzo Loffredo, a
17th-century noble’s residence!
There are multiple other ancient churches,
the ruins of a Roman villa and the Musmeci
Bridge, a unique construction of modern
civil engineering.
Basilisco wines
A perfect trip to Italy would have to include
wine, after all some of the best wines come
from this land. As wine was on every menu,
we had to include a trip to a winery. The
Basilisco winery was perfect in size. Growing
their own organic grapes and producing
wonderful fine wines right on their estate.
Their cellars are very unique as their storage
areas are inside the fascinating caves of the
area. The caves facing north have a stable
16-18 °C degrees temperature, and are
ideal as storage, processing and preserving
oil and wine.
Abbey of the Santissima Trinita di Venosa
This historic location has had parts of it
dated back to the eighth century. I loved that
the old church stands on the site of an
Imperial Roman building as some walls of
the church are built directly on the mosaic
floors of the earlier structure. The site holds
the old church, the monastery buildings;
and the Incompiuta, an unfinished church.
The complex was declared a National
Monument in 1897 and it is well worth a
visit.
Cantina del Notaio
Another treat of the trip was a visit to this
wonderful vineyard. The Giuratrabocchetti's
family’s passion for winemaking is evident
in the exceptional quality of their projects.
They believe that their unique blends come
from three natural factors. The fertile and
rich volcanic soil, the deep tufo rock layers
that act as water reservoirs during the drier
periods of the year and the unique microclimate.
Be that as it may, after visiting the ancient
wine cellars we would feast at a typical and
wonderful Basilicata style meal here. A glorious
Italian afternoon.
Cathedral of Acerenza
Again I was treated to a blast from the
Roman past. This landmark has been
around since roman times, erected on what
remained of an ancient temple of the roman
dedicated to Ercole Acheruntino. The current
cathedral was built somewhere around
the 11th century and the site is a wonderful
place to visit. The Gothic architecture is really
impressive and climbing up the four floors
of the bell tower offers a great view. The
most interesting detail of this place is the
crypt, which contains a square space with
four central columns. In front of the
entrance there is a small altar surmounted
by a niche that contains a tomb and the
walls are covered with frescoes.
Although Basilicata is not very well known or
travelled, it sure has a big heart and much
to offer. It just might be the next big Italian
destination to be discovered. Get there
before the crowds and a wonderful laidback
and down to earth experience will be
yours.
www.discoverbasilicata.com
American World Traveler Spring 2019