Maratea is the only port of Basilicata on the Tyrrhenian Sea and is situated on the slopes of Mount Saint Biagio, where there are the bathing resorts of Acquafredda, Fiumicello, Santavenere, Porto, Marina and Castrocucco .
The town includes an ancient part in a more elevated position, Maratea Superiore (where the Sanctuary of Saint Biagio rises) and a more modern part, Maratea inferiore.
At Marina it is possible to visit various caves, among which the Cave of Monacelli (reachable only by boat and unique for its blue colour due to the effect of the light, refracted by the subaqueous caverns), the Cave of Bats, the Cave of the Dreams, the Cave of Judia and the cave of Cetroselle.
Matera is one of the most beautiful towns of Southern Italy: we suggest a walk along the panoramic Street of Stones ("Strada dei Sassi") to truly appreciate its originality.
Since prehistory the inhabitants of this town have lived in caverns, dug into the rock: in the eighteenth century some buildings facing the caves were transformed into convents.
Among the one hundred and twenty rocky churches we have today, we suggest visiting Saint Mary of Idris, Saint Lucia of Malve, Saint Francis of Assisi and the Cathedral (XIII century), that preserves some interesting sculptures.
Melfi , in the past a flourishing medieval town, is famous for its majestic castle of Norman origin, the town houses, the national museum of Melfese (with a collection of archaeological finds and Byzantine jewels) and the Cathedral, whose building started in the twelfth century.
The Ionic coast from Metaponto to Nova Siri offers large beaches of very fine, golden sand and wide beaches of sand and pebbles in the stretch of coast that overlooks the National Park of Pollino. Here, in the eighth century b.c. were founded the towns of Graecia Magna: Metaponto, Herakleia (today Policoro), Siris and Pandosia, where famous characters such as Pitagora lived and where terrible battles took place.
Metaponto was built in the Eighth Century B.C. and today it gives hospitality to the Palatine Tables, the ruins of Apollo Licio's Temple (sixth century b.c.) and the National Museum of Metaponto.
Its beaches are very wide and are lined with pinewood and some rows of eucalyptus, that spread a pleasant scent in the air.
Policoro occupies the site of the ancient colonies of Herakleia and Siris (VII-V century b.c.) and there is the National Museum of Siritide.
The coast in front of Policoro is formed of wide expanses of sand and deep crystalline water, deeper than that of Metaponto; the sea is still so clean that these wide beaches, above all towards the mouth of the river Sinni, have been chosen for reproduction by some species of turtle.
The possibility for excursions are various and, for those who love the sea, it is possible to take lessons in sailing and test oneself at the sport of fishing.
Other seaside resorts are Nova Siri, Rotondella , with a very fine and tranquil beach, and the shores of Quarantotto, Pisticci , Scanzano Jonico , which have very fine wide sandy beaches.
The massif of Pollino marks the southern border of Basilicata; in the National Park of Pollino you will be able to admire the royal eagle, the vulture of lambs, the royal owl, the wild boar and the wolf, that - even though now in small numbers, about thirty - have never disappeared from these mountains.

LOCAL CULINARY SPECIALITIES:
First course: "orecchiette alla lucana", lasagne and beans, "maccaroni a ferretti", "calzoncini".
Second course and cold cuts: meat (lamb with mushrooms, or stewed with ham and sheep's milk cheese, or also marinated with chilli), cold cuts (sausage, neck of beef, brawn), preserves of aubergines and of peppers.
Desserts: " panzerotti", "cicirate" and "strangolapreti".
Wines : "Aglianico del Volture" (reserve, sparkling, old and sweet).

Second photo: www.sassiweb.it