Between Campania, Apulia and Calabria lies Basilicata, one of the most sparsely populated regions of Italy. The ancient name Lucania still resonates today in the cuisine, mountains and language. The landscape stretches from the Dolomiti Lucane to the Pollino massif, and from Maratea on the Tyrrhenian Sea to Metaponto on the Ionian Coast. At its heart lies Matera with its Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
Sparsely populated and mountainous: the key facts
Basilicata is a mountainous region with two short stretches of coastline. To the west, it reaches the Tyrrhenian Sea for around 30 kilometres, and to the south-east the Ionian Sea for around 40 kilometres. According to ISTAT figures the region had a total population of 525,281 as of 1 January 2026, covers 10,073 square kilometres and has a population density of just 52 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its 131 municipalities are divided between two provinces, Potenza and Matera.
The regional capital Potenza sits at 819 metres above sea level and has 63,403 inhabitants, making it the highest-lying regional capital in Italy. Approximately 90 per cent of the region's area consists of hills and mountains, with only a narrow strip along the Ionian Coast being flat. Basilicata belongs to the Mezzogiorno, the Italian south, and was known in antiquity as Lucania.
Matera: the city of the Sassi
Matera is the best-known city in the region. The two Sassi districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, extend along a ravine that has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. Caves, cisterns and more than 150 rock-hewn churches form one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban landscapes in the world. In 1993 the UNESCO inscribed the Sassi and the Parco delle Chiese Rupestri as a World Heritage Site, and in 2019 Matera was named European Capital of Culture.
The history of Matera is also the history of a profound transformation. During the 1950s, the Sassi were regarded as a "national disgrace": tens of thousands of residents were living in caves without running water or electricity. A law passed in 1952 ordered the evacuation of the area. It was not until the 1980s that the districts were restored; today they are home to hotels, restaurants and ateliers.
Pollino, Dolomiti Lucane and the mountains
Straddling Basilicata and Calabria, the Parco Nazionale del Pollino covers more than 192,000 hectares, making it the largest national park in Italy. In 2015 it was admitted to the network of UNESCO Global Geoparks. The emblem of the park is the Bosnianpine (Pinus leucodermis), whose scaly bark is reminiscent of the armour worn by Roman soldiers; individual specimens are estimated to be over 900 years old. Among the highest peaks are Serra Dolcedorme (2,267 metres) and Monte Pollino (2,248 metres).
At the heart of the province of Potenza stand the Dolomiti Lucane, a jagged cluster of sandstone pinnacles surrounding the villages of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa. Both are counted among the "Borghi più belli d'Italia". Between the two villages runs the zipline "Volo dell'Angelo", on which visitors cross the gorge along a steel cable. Further to the east, the landscape is shaped by the Calanchi: dry erosion gulliesthat carve entire stretches of countryside into undulating ridges.
Towns and villages: Potenza, Melfi, Craco, Aliano
The regional capital Potenza stands on a ridge above the Basento valley. The historic centre, Via Pretoria and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale della Basilicata form its core. To the north, at the foot of the extinct volcano Monte Vulture, lies Melfi with its Norman-Hohenstaufen castle; it was here that Frederick II issued the Constitutiones Melfitanae in 1231, one of the first comprehensive legal codes of the medieval period.
No less well known are the abandoned villages. Craco was progressively deserted from 1963 onwards following a series of landslides, and today stands as a ghost town among the hills. Aliano, in the province of Matera, was the place of exile of the writer Carlo Levi and remains closely associated with his work "Cristo si è fermato a Eboli". For a considerable number of small municipalities in Basilicata, Italy's flat-tax scheme applies to foreign retirees: a flat rate of seven per cent on foreign income.
Maratea and Metaponto: clifftop coastline and sandy beaches
On the Tyrrhenian Sea, Basilicata possesses around 30 kilometres of dramatic clifftop coastline near Maratea. The town itself is often referred to as the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea" and is home to numerous churches and chapels. High above the town, on Monte San Biagio, stands the 21-metre Christstatue by Bruno Innocenti, one of the tallest Christ figures in Italy. Districts such as Acquafredda, Fiumicello and Marina di Maratea string together a succession of coves and sea caves.
The Ionian coast between Policoro and Metaponto is flat, with long sandy beaches and pine forests. Here lies the archaeological site of Metaponto, one of the most impressive sites of Magna Graecia. The Achaeans founded the city in the second half of the 7th century BC; the area contains the remains of several Doric temples and a theatre dating from the 4th century BC. To the north-west stand the columns of a Doric temple known as the Tavole Palatine, today one of the most recognisable landmarks of Lucania.
Cuisine and wine: Aglianico, Pane di Matera, Peperoni cruschi
Lucanian cuisine is hearty and unpretentious, appreciated in Rome and Milan as part of the cucina povera of the South. The Pane di Matera has held the European IGP designation since 2008; it is baked from durum wheat and, with its shape of a pointed horn, can weigh up to two kilograms per loaf. The sweet peppers "Peperone di Senise", often served briefly fried as crispy "cruschi", have carried the IGP designation since 1996. Lucanica sausage, Caciocavallo cheese and lagane pasta with chickpeas are all staples of the repertoire.
When it comes to wine , the region is a modest producer, yet one with an internationally acclaimed peak. The Aglianico del Vulture Superiore, elevated to DOCG status in 2010, is produced on the slopes of the extinct Monte Vulture from 100 per cent Aglianico grapes. There are also the DOC zones of Aglianico del Vulture, Matera and Terre dell'Alta Val d'Agri. The Greco of the Matera DOC serves as the region's white representative.
Tourism, travel seasons and getting there
The best time to visit depends on the destination. For city breaks to Matera and Potenza, April to June as well as September and October are ideal; in high summer it becomes very hot at altitude, with temperatures on the Ionian coast exceeding 35 degrees. For many, autumn is considered the most beautiful season, thanks to the grape harvest and the clear light in the Dolomiti Lucane, while winter brings snow and skiing in the Pollino.
Basilicata has no international airport of its own. Travellers arrive via Bari in Puglia or via Naples, continuing onwards by car, hire car or coach. Trenitalia connects Potenza and Metaponto to the national network via lines from Naples, Rome and Taranto; there is no direct high-speed rail service. For the Pollino, arriving via Lamezia Terme in Calabria or from the east through Puglia is recommended. Within the region, the car is by far the most practical means of getting around.
