Spring is the best time to discover the beauty of Italy's Basilicata region.
And seven different walking tours, suitable for all levels of physical fitness, will allow visitors to explore the territory known in ancient times as Lucania, accompanied by the guide 'Camminare in Basilicata' (Walking in Basilicata), which can be easily consulted by those who love to immerse themselves in local culture.
Everyone will be able to explore hamlets and valleys, beaches and castles, mountains and parks, monasteries and archaeological sites, dunes and rivers.
Visitors can choose the path they prefer and get to know the local history and traditions, the flavours of typical dishes and the beauty of nature. Basilicata offers, in just a few kilometres, a world to explore as it awakens with the colours and perfumes of spring.
The seven tours are part of one ring-like itinerary of the region that crosses 36 hamlets and five parks (including Parco nazionale appennino lucano Val d'Agri Lagonegrese, Parco regionale Gallipoli Cognato piccole Dolomiti lucane, Parco regionale del Vulture, Parco regionale della Murgia materana and Parco nazionale del Pollino) and embraces 23 different trails.
Hikes can take between three and 25 days and have different themes: the sea, mountains, castles, hamlets, places of worship and culture. The first is 'Alla scoperta della valle del Noce' (Discovering the valle del Noce), and goes from Maratea to Lake Sirino, 40 km that require three days of hiking; the second, along 110,5 km from Maratea to Marsicovetere, is called 'Sua maestà il Sirino' (His majesty Sirino) and takes six days.
'Lungo I castelli di Federico II' (Along the castles of Federico II) is the third tour, a 182-km-long hike that requires eight days, from Lagopesole to Matera; 'Basilicata coast to coast, tra fede e il Pollino (Basilicata coast to coast, from faith to the Pollino), 187,5 km in nine days, is the fourth tour that goes from Maratea to Policoro. The fifth is 'Camminando tra i borghi più belli d'Italia' (Walking through Italy's most beautiful hamlets), 205,5 km in 10 days, from Castelmezzano to Matera.
The last two tours are: 'In cammino verso Matera' (Walking to Matera), 314 km in 16 days from Maratea to Matera; and 'Camminare in Basilicata, itinerari tra borghi e natura' (Walking in Basilicata, itineraries amid hamlets and nature), from Maratea to Matera and back, 501,5 km in 25 days.
The guide, which is available online, provides for each stopover technical information and a Qr code storing GPX tracks to download routes with information and stories connected to the territory, cultural heritage and the region's wines and culinary treasures. Visitors can choose what they prefer and organize a personalized trip based on their taste and fitness level, including taking short walks within the seven itineraries to get a taste of the local beauty.
For further information: basilicataturistica.com or aptbasilicata.it.
5 April 2024
