Basilicata itineraries

Perhaps the oldest festival in Italy takes place in Accettura. It is so old it predates the classical era by at least a 1000 years. Its origins go back to the dawn of human consciousness and derive from the belief that trees are living beings and are, therefore, able to come together in the act of love. This coupling guarantees a fruitful harvest at the end of the growing season. And so it is with this annual festival taking place in the last week of May. The male is called the 'maggio', a tall oak selected and chopped down from…

Waves and waves of invaders have passed through Basilicata or Lucania and each has left a permanent mark. It is worth the effort to track them down and the Basilicata region tourism authority has produced a glossy leaflet which offers an interesting view of the development of faith and religion in the region. It doesn't just list the places to see, but sets them in a sort of spiritual chronology through the lives of the inhabitants. The mix is intriguing. Try 'Murgia Materana' for Neolithic tombs, the 'Piana Metaponto' plain for the Greek Civiltà, the 'Chiesa della Trinità' at Venosa…

The name Basilicata was first used in 1175 and probably referred to a one time Byzantine administrator of the province called 'Basilikos'. Even after a thousand years, however, Lucania is widely used and for many the name of choice.