The tour will let you discover the Parco Regionale delle Dolomiti Lucane (Regional Park of the Lucanian Dolomites), so called for their similarity with the most known Dolomites in the Alps. Here we will discover the two hidden jewels of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano.
PIETRAPERTOSA
Pietrapertosa is a small village of about 1.000 inhabitants on 1.088 m a.s.l., famous to be the highest municipality in Basilicata and totally surrounded by rocky towers.
Like Tricarico, Pietrapertosa was taken over by the Saracens, who in the 9th Century built a fortress perfectly hidden among the rocky peaks and the vegetation, which can be today reached along a footpath, along which you will admire the beautiful and main attraction “Il Volo dell’Angelo” (the Angel Flight): tied in total safety whit a harness, attached to the steel cable, you will live the thrill of flying some minutes in a fantastic adventure, one of the best in Italy and in the world for the beauty of the landscape and the maximum height of flight landscape and the maximum height of flight: 1020 m.a.s.l to a maximum speed of 120 km per hour.
During the tour you will visit the Mother Church of San Giacomo Maggiore with beautiful frescoes of 17th Century showing the Last Judgement and the Monastery of San Francesco build in 1470, in which church you will admire many frescoes and paintings dated back to 17th Century.
For those who like to keep being emotioned in the enchanting sceneries of the Park, the next stop is Castelmezzano.
CASTELMEZZANO
This village, like Pietrapertosa mounted amongst the Lucanian Dolomites, offers evocative sceneries. The ancient centre used to be a powerful Longobard stronghold and it is shaped like a natural amphitheater on the rocky walls of the mountain.
In the Main Church (XIII century) there is a wonderful statue of the "Madonna col Bambino" called "Madonna dell’Olmo" (Madonna of the Elm) of the XIV century. In the Madonna delle Grazie Chapel there is a beautiful Baroque altar. During the Tour you will reach the ruins of the walls and a flight of steps of the Castle of Castrum Medianum, from which the panorama view of the village and of the surrounding area is superb.
For those loving Trekking, this territory is ideal for excursions through evocative scenery, such as the Valley of the Stream Caperrino, which is the boundary between this village and Pietrapertosa. It is infact possible to cross the valley of the strem by using a foothpath called "Percorso delle 7 Pietre" (literally footpath of the 7 stones), admiring along the stream the remains of some old mills, waterholes for animals and an old roman bridge.
PERCORSO DELLE 7 PIETRE - FOOTPATH OF THE 7 STONES
| Days available: | Every day. Possibility of pick-up in Matera or accomodations in the surrounding area according to your needs. |
| Time Length: |
6 hours plus transfer times from Matera or surrounding areas. |
| Difficulty: | Medium. During the tour there are staircases, ups and downs, necessary to enjoy the monuments and the landscape. The tour is not suitable if you don't like walking. |
| Don’t forget: | Comfy shoes, camera and during summer water, cap and sun cream. |
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Price and Notes: |
The tour is private but, upon request and according to availability, it is possible to make a Tour Sharing with other guests in order to reduce the costs. If you don’t have a car to reach the Lucanian Dolomites, it is possible to book a shuttle or mini-bus. It is possible to make a half day tour by visiting only Pietrapertosa or Castelmezzano or a full day by visiting both of them, as well as combining one of them with other tours of Matera and of surrounding area (a suggestion is Tricarico). Please contact me for more information and price. |