Things to do & places to visit in Basilicata, Italy

Basilicata #18 destination in Italy 2023. The average rating score is 4.67 based on 44.2k traveler reviews, of 72 attractions. Timezone: Europe/Rome, current date and time: Monday, May 06, 2024, 23:44.

Basilicata Weather Statistics view more »

Top things to do (27)

• Waterfalls
• Speciality Museums
• Bodies of Water
• Historic Sites
• Forests
• River Rafting & Tubing
• Bike Tours
• Canyoning & Rappelling Tours
• Beaches
• Churches & Cathedrals
• Castles
• Ancient Ruins
• Points of Interest & Landmarks
• Monuments & Statues
• Mountains
• Religious Sites
• Caverns & Caves
• Sports Complexes
• Historic Walking Areas
• Wineries & Vineyards
• Architectural Buildings
• Visitor Centers
• Kayaking & Canoeing
• Hiking & Camping Tours
• Ghost Towns
• Sightseeing Tours
• Parks

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

1. 5.0 Sassi di Matera (16.0k reviews)
   - Exploring I Sassi
   Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent 2-3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas
   
   
   Matera, conosciuta come La città dei Sassi, si è sviluppata intorno al suo antico borgo. Nel 1993 è diventata Patrimonio Mondiale dell’UNESCO e sarà Capitale Europea della cultura 2019. Questi riconoscimenti hanno riscattato una città ritenuta vergogna nazionale. Grazie al volere di Togliatti e De Gasperi che hanno voluto lo sfollamento dei Sassi Matera conosciuta come La città dei Sassi si è sviluppata intorno al suo antico borgo. Nel 1993 è diventata Patrimonio Mondiale dell’UNESCO e sarà Capitale Europea della cultura 2019. Questi riconoscimenti hanno riscattato una città ritenuta vergogna nazionale. Grazie al volere di Togliatti e De Gasperi che hanno voluto lo sfollamento dei Sassi, Matera si è ripresa da questo periodo oscuro I Rioni del centro storico Il centro storico è suddiviso in quattro parti: Civita, Sasso Barisano, Sasso Caveoso e Il Piano. Le antiche civiltà che hanno popolato il lato della gravina dove attualmente sorge Matera, si sono insediate sulla Civita. See more..
   
2. 5.0 Cantine del Notaio (701 reviews)
   - Warm wine tasting and company history experience
   Monday: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Wineries & Vineyards
   
   
   Cantine del Notaio is glad to welcome new friends and Italian and foreign guests to taste its wines, visiting the ancient Franciscan grottoes of volcanic tufo radiating around the 'Facile', telling you about stories, territory tradition and about wine growing. Please Note: Excursion and/or wine tasting, need to be booked two days first. See more..
   
3. 5.0 Il Mirto Solarium Bar (566 reviews)
   - Best beach in Maratea. Full stop.
   Monday: 8:30 AM - 7:30 PM Spent More than 3 hours Beaches
   
   
   The solarium of "Il Mirto" is one of the most relaxing and characteristic places of Maratea and of the Lucanian coast. Directly overlooking the sea, with various accesses to the sea, it offers tranquility and coolness throughout the summer season. The right place to spend a day of true relax. See more..
   
4. 5.0 Museo Laboratorio della Civilta Contadina (510 reviews)
   - Highlight of Matera
   Monday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Speciality Museums
   
   
   A restored XVI century building with court located in via San Giovanni Vecchio 60 (Sasso Barisano) is the home of the 500 m2 large Museo Laboratorio della Civiltà Contadina (Museum-Workshop of the Peasant Culture). The exhibition rooms are dedicated to the ancient trades related to the work in the fields but also to all the other handicraft activities carried on in the ancient quarters of Matera: sieve-maker, tanner, shepherd, basket-maker, cavamonti, shoe-shiner, barber, cabinet-maker, mastro d'ascia, blacksmith, tailor, conciapiatti, potter, knife-grinder, saddler, coppersmith, cobbler, peasant, scalpellino. Also, various every-day tools are exposed: farm tools, equipment for storage and processing of wheat, weaving equipment. Other rooms are dedicated to daily-life places - such as the public wine cellar and the typical house - and themes related to the South-Italy history such as brigandage, childhood condition and water-harvesting. The Museo-Laboratorio aims to be a dynamic structure among the tourism products of Matera and a reference for the development of the culture of the past through exhibition and educational activities. See more..
   
5. 5.0 Materasum Ipogeo (353 reviews) from $8.56
   - Underground structure.
   Monday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Ancient Ruins
   
   
   Matera Sum ipogeo is a place where space and time stop to tell you the history. traditions and culture mix of one of the most ancient cities in the world. pure emotion from the depths of the earth See more..
   
6. 5.0 Wilderness (218 reviews)
   - “ Il Paradiso terrestre “
   River Rafting & Tubing • Canyoning & Rappelling Tours • Bike Tours • Hiking & Camping Tours • Kayaking & Canoeing
   
   
   Dovremmo soffermarci sempre più ed apprezzare quello che di meraviglioso la natura sa regalarci.
   La natura va ascoltata e compresa , questo è quello che ho imparato da questa fantastica esperienza svolta domenica 7 Febbraio con Carlo Marsico.
   Carlo è una persona che riesce a farti vivere a pieno questa tipologia di esperienza/ escursione.
   Ci mette amore in quello che fa e riesce a trasmettere la giusta energia positiva per affrontare al meglio il tragitto. See more..
   
7. 5.0 Acqua Trekking (217 reviews)
   - Wonderful experience!
   Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM River Rafting & Tubing
   
   
   I did the rivertubing with my kids and we all have all enjoyed it very much! Rivertubing has been much more fun than rafting because you are in control of your own "means of transportation". Nonetheless the acquatrekking guides were never far away, I always felt safe and they organised the whole tour very professionally I highly recommend rivertubing on the Lao-Mercure river and if I go back to the Pollino park I'd definitely do it again. See more..
   
8. 5.0 Info Pollino (217 reviews)
   - AquaTrekking
   Sightseeing Tours
   
   
   We came from Israel looking for something exciting and different, Excellent experience, highly recommended! See more..
   
9. 5.0 MOOM Matera Olive Oil Museum (180 reviews)
   - Ancient History of Italy’s Liquid Gold
   Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums
   
   
   Matera Olive Oil Museum(MOOM). Reconstructed in an ancient underground oil mill in Sassi of Matera. RESERVATION IS NEEDED! PLEASE CALL US TO ASK A VISIT! See more..
   
10. 5.0 Sasso Barisano (179 reviews)
    - Incredible experience
    Spent More than 3 hours Historic Walking Areas
    
    
    To stroll endless maze of Sasso streets makes incredible experience. Accessible from many points. Classical and favorite point is from the balcony near the ticket office of Palombaro Lungo_water cistern from which you have amazing view. You will see houses dug into the calcarenitic rock itself where people lived till 1950s when the Italian government relocated the majority of people to modern city. It used to be poverty-stricken area now gradually improving but still remaining its charm and characteristic. There are churches, museums, restaurants and cafe to keep you entertained for at least half of the day. See more..
    
11. 4.5 Statua del Cristo Redentore di Maratea (2.605 reviews)
    - Little Known Statue Of Jesus Christ Atop A Cliff In Maratea.
    Points of Interest & Landmarks • Religious Sites • Monuments & Statues
    
    
    Maratea is a quaint hill-side village about 2.5 hours south of Naples and sits in spectacular mountains by the sea. Built in 1965 the statue (made of white granite) of Jesus Christ sits on top of one of the highest cliffs or mountains overlooking the sea on what is called St Bagio. The statue is the third tallest in Europe at 21.20 meters and from finger tip to finger tip is 19 meters.Both Maratea and the statue are worthy of a visit.You can walk from the town but the best way is to catch a taxi and have him wait as it was not costly. See more..
    
12. 4.5 Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario (1.592 reviews)
    - Interesting insight in hard live
    Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums • Caverns & Caves
    
    
    Matera Sassi Storica Casa Grotta - di vico Solitario: Typically Furnished Cave Dwelling To see what a real peasant dwelling was like before the “Sassi” of Matera were abandoned, visit a typical cave dwelling with furniture and tools of the time in the “Sasso Caveoso”. The description of the Cave Dwelling in English language is available inside. Open all year round. See more..
    
13. 4.5 Casa Noha (1.408 reviews)
    - Perfect History Recount
    Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks
    
    
    Immersa nei Sassi, una casa diventa luogo della conoscenza e della memoria di una storia millenaria, quella della città di Matera, scritta su una roccia friabile e porosa come il tufo. See more..
    
14. 4.5 Cripta del Peccato Originale (1.123 reviews)
    - What an experience!!!
    Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins
    
    
    The Crypt of the Original Sin, in Matera, is located inside a natural cave on the Murgia plateau, near the old Appian Way. Commonly known as “the Sistine Chapel of rupestrian art”, the Crypt was discovered in 1963 by a group of local youths, who noticed the splendid frescoes in what at the time, had become a shelter for sheep herds.Experts later dated the cycle of paintings back to the second half of the 8th century, with Late-Romanesque style and formal elements of Oriental inspiration, such as the Byzantine-style Triarchsand the profile of the Virgin Mary, majestically represented in the sumptuous clothes of the Byzantine empress, the Basilissa.The anonymous, humble artist – who was soon nicknamed the “Flower Painter” – depicted biblical figures in total freedom: God the Creator, Light and Darkness, Adam and Eve, the three Apostles John, Peter and Andrew, the Archangels and Mary. The paintings on the rough walls of the cave are different and unique in Matera’s iconographic context. The scenes are the fruit of the painter’s personal creativity and certainly speak of his freedom in translating complex depictions, and of a lively spontaneity in drawing images. The Crypt of Original Sin may only be visited by booking. See more..
    
15. 4.5 Volo dell'Angelo (1.005 reviews)
    - Flight of the Angel
    Monday:
    
    
    Wow! This attraction connects the Dolomoti Lucane towns of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa with two cables where you are attached like a rocket and travel at 120 kmh over 1500 meters across a 400 meter deep gorge. One cable goes each direction so a round trip requires two trips. Be aware that there is hiking required between the cables on the Castelmezzano side, almost 2 kilometers, mostly uphill. A round trip flight is 30 euro. Open only during the summer season. See more..
    
16. 4.5 Parco della Murgia Materana (953 reviews)
    - Must to do hike, save time for it
    Parks
    
    
    When visiting Matera make sure you save time for this beautiful easy trek to see the city from the different perspective and take nice pics. It is easy to navigate around. The entrance to the trail-head is not far away from San Pietro Caveaso. To complete the trek in relax way to see the plateau and surroundings, take picture is 60-90 minutes. On the way up and down via the rover Gravina you will see some caves, small churches and viewing platforms for stunning views. See more..
    
17. 4.5 Cattedrale di Matera (947 reviews)
    - A temple to be proud of
    Architectural Buildings • Churches & Cathedrals
    
    
    The ticket includes the chapel , the museum and the cathedral. The chapel of Our Lady of Constantinople has a replica of the Madonna Della Bruna sculpture taken on parade, so it´s easy to take pictures (There´s another one in San Francesco). In the Diocesan Museum are some silver chalices and reliquaries but the main attraction is the Cathedral itself. This 13C Romanesque building has gone many restorations. Some parts of the original Byzantine Saint Eustace monastery are visible beneath the floor glass of the first chapel. The baroque decoration with gold leaf is impressive and the Assumption chapel is remarkable. Take a look at all the columns capitals, because they’re all different. It´s a gem in the middle of a town so poor it was called "the shame of Italy" in the past century. See more..
    
18. 4.5 Church of Santa Maria de Idris (784 reviews)
    - Original
    Religious Sites • Churches & Cathedrals
    
    
    This church is carved into a huge rock pinnacle jutting from the lip of a gorge. See more..
    
19. 4.5 Parco Museale Scenografico di Craco (665 reviews)
    - Surreal Ghost Village
    Temporarily closed - Closed until further notice Spent 1-2 hours Ghost Towns
    
    
    Those looking for places to visit in Basilicata, find in Craco one of the most fascinating and suggestive destinations, a unique place that combines art, history, landscape but also drama. Natural set for Cinema, hub for Art, Culture, Research and Innovation, immersed in the badlands, in the heart of Basilicata! See more..
    
20. 4.5 La Secca (598 reviews)
    - A beautiful beach
    Beaches
    
    
    We visited with passes from our hotel. The beach was immaculate and great to have the bar and restaurant there too. Such calm water and ideal for someone like me who is not a confident swimmer! Worth a lazy day. See more..
    
21. 4.5 Melfi Castle (596 reviews)
    - Must see
    Monday: 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Castles
    
    
    For some reason Melfi doesn’t appear in many of the English language guide books and this is a serious oversight! Melfi was an incredibly important town in the medieval to early modern period- the first crusade was announced from the castle. The town is dotted with signs taking you through it’s history in bite sized chunks and the castle is the culmination of it all. The castle acts as the local archeological museum and contains a great deal of Roman and Greek artefacts - the highlight was a pair of the most incredible marble sarcophagi. One of these was on loan from Naples (associated with Matera 2019 Capital of Culture) but fortunately for future visitors it was the lesser of the two! See more..
    
22. 4.5 Chiesa San Giovanni Battista (527 reviews)
    - Misterious
    Churches & Cathedrals
    
    
    Like all the town (Matera), when you enter this church it's like going back in time (middle ages) when it was all about surviving and believing. It is situated next to the town center, and the museum, and at noon when we have visited it was a cool oasis of history. Its worth seeing also the carved exterior... See more..
    
23. 4.5 Info Matera – Informazioni Turistiche (520 reviews)
    - Matera - The most beautiful sunset
    Monday: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Visitor Centers • Historic Walking Areas • Churches & Cathedrals
    
    
    The experience gained through the years has led us to develop tour's itineraries oriented to the highest enhancement of the territory by proposing a quality tourism. Our tours are planned with great care and dedication thanks to the advice given by knowledgeable guides licensed by the Basilicata region. We offer informations on tours,events,accommodation,restaurants,souvenirs and peculiarities. See more..
    
24. 4.5 Chiesa rupestre di Santa Lucia alle Malve (518 reviews)
    - Frescoes in a cave church
    Points of Interest & Landmarks
    
    
    Such a fascinating, historic cave church with good remains of medieval frescoes. We were with a guide so he explained some of the church’s history and the frescoes, which was really good. No photos allowed so you have to store the images in your memory! See more..
    
25. 4.5 Sassi in Miniatura (485 reviews)
    - A small view of Sassi Matera
    Monday: 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums
    
    
    A must see-must do during your discovery of Sassi Matera. The artistry and fine hand work required to create this is amazing, and it gives you a good perspective of the actual old city See more..
    
26. 4.5 Parco delle Chiese Rupestri di Matera (427 reviews)
    - Outstanding - Like Nothing I've Ever Seen
    Historic Sites
    
    
    According to the World Heritage site, "Matera's Sassi are the best surviving and most complete examples of rock-cut settlement in the Mediterranean region. They have been developed in close harmony with the natural environments." See more..
    
27. 4.5 MUSMA Museum of Contemporary Sculpture (366 reviews)
    - Stunning Space
    Monday: Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums
    
    
    The MUSMA, internationally recognized for its unique cave exhibition spaces, is the most important museum entirely dedicated to sculpture in Italy. MUSMA occupies the spaces of the 17th Century Palazzo Pomarici and was inaugurated on October 14th, 2006. In ancient caves carved-out of limestone over time, there are works of art which tell the story of Italian and international sculpture from the late 1800s to today and seem to have found their “natural home”. The fullness and emptiness of sculpture appear extraordinarily complementary to the positive and negative spaces of the Sassi architecture. From the underground rooms, we pass into the noble palace, onto the first floor where the works are arranged in chronological order and are framed by elegant vaults and cornices. See more..
    
28. 4.5 Chiesa rupestre di San Pietro Barisano (362 reviews)
    - LARGEST OF THE RUPESTRIAN CHURCHES IN MATERA
    Points of Interest & Landmarks
    
    
    This is the largest of the Rupestrian Churches in Matera, dated 12th century. Sadly during the 60's and 70's numerous pieces of art were stolen and vandalised. The tufa stone image of Mary and Jesus being flanked by angels is exquisite. Walking through, you need to keep reminding yourself that it is excavated, not constructed, simply amazing. There is a putridarium, an area used for draining a corpse until only bones are left. We spent over an hour here, as there is a fair amount to cover. No photography allowed but there are postcards available. The brochure has opening hours listed as - 1st April to 1st November 10am/7pm closed 2nd July 2nd November to 31st March 10am/2pm closed 25th December Pay €3 for entry or buy a ticket for €6 and this gives entry to three of the following Rupestrian Churches - Church of Santa Lucia alle Malve Church of Santa Maria de Idris & San Giovanni in Monterrone Church of San Pietro Barisano See more..
    
29. 4.5 Chiese rupestri Madonna delle Virtu e San Nicola dei Greci (329 reviews)
    - See the Difference
    Monday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks
    
    
    Complesso rupestre che comprende due fra le più importanti chiese rupestri presenti negli antichi rioni Sassi di Matera. Comprende anche il monastero un tempo annesso a Madonna delle Virtù ed un vicinato con una serie di case grotta e cantine. Luogo ad uso museale, nei mesi estivi ospita "Le Grandi Mostre nei Sassi" di scultura, evento organizzato dal Circolo Culturale "La Scaletta" e gestito dal team della Società "Cave Heritage - Arte, Cultura e Turismo". See more..
    
30. 4.5 Aqvaworld Bluwellness Family Club (306 reviews)
    - MERAVIGLIOSO PERCORSO BENESSERE
    Monday: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Sports Complexes
    
    
    Aqvaworld is an exclusive multifunctional Club located in Matera focused on Wellness. The Club has six pools heated up to 32° C and has been designed on the purpose of using only one element: water. A vertical structure built on five levels, each one has different areas: Swim, Fitness, Medical Wellness, Scuba Diving, Beauty Farm, Solarium with an open-air swimming pool, Entertainment, Travel, Shops and Services. Aqvaworld is perfect for families all day long and for relax week end. See more..