Basilicata is one of Italy's most untouched and dramatic regions, hidden in the instep of the Italian boot. Best known for Matera — a UNESCO World Heritage city carved into ancient ravines — the region also harbors Pollino National Park, the Tyrrhenian resort town of Maratea, ruined Norman castles, and vast stretches of wilderness that have barely changed since antiquity. Carlo Levi immortalized the land in 'Christ Stopped at Eboli', and today the raw beauty that once symbolized isolation has become its greatest draw.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in Basilicata.
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1
Sassi di Matera
The Sassi are two adjoining districts of cave dwellings carved into a ravine, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, inhabited from the Paleolithic era until residents were forcibly relocated in the 1950s due to poverty and disease. Houses, stables, and over 150 rock-cut churches are stacked on top of each other along the cliff face, some with faded Byzantine frescoes still visible. Walking the stepped alleys between the two Sassi and across to the Murgia plateau opposite gives the clearest sense of how the settlement reads as a single carved organism rather than separate buildings.
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2
Matera Cathedral (Cattedrale di Matera)
Built in the 13th century in Apulian Romanesque style, the cathedral sits on the highest point of the city, directly above Sasso Barisano, and its bell tower is visible from most vantage points in the Sassi. It's dedicated to the Madonna della Bruna, patron of Matera, whose feast in early July involves a procession and the ritual destruction of a papier-mâché float. Inside, look for the restored medieval frescoes uncovered during a lengthy 20th-century renovation, since much of the Baroque overlay was stripped back to reveal the earlier stonework.
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3
Pollino National Park
Pollino is Italy's largest national park, straddling the Basilicata-Calabria border across the Pollino and Orsomarso mountain ranges. It's the last stronghold of the Bosnian pine (locally the pino loricato), some specimens over 1,000 years old, growing on exposed rock faces at altitude. The terrain ranges from the Gole del Raganello gorge, a deep limestone canyon worked by hiking and canyoning outfitters, to rafting stretches on the Lao river on the Calabrian side.
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4
Maratea
Maratea is Basilicata's only outlet to the Tyrrhenian Sea, a short stretch of rocky coastline with small coves tucked beneath a historic hill town. The old centre, Maratea Borgo, sits inland and uphill from the coast, a cluster of stone lanes and small churches largely disconnected from the beach clubs below. Above it all stands the Cristo Redentore statue on Monte San Biagio, taller than Rio's equivalent, built in the 1960s and visible from boats approaching the coast.
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Melfi Castle (Castello di Melfi)
Built by the Normans in the 11th century and later expanded under the Hohenstaufen and Angevin dynasties, Melfi Castle is where Emperor Frederick II issued the Constitutions of Melfi in 1231, an early codified body of law for the Kingdom of Sicily. The castle now houses the National Archaeological Museum of Melfi, whose most notable piece is the Rapolla sarcophagus, a large Roman marble sarcophagus carved with mythological scenes and found nearby. The building's irregular outline, with towers added over different centuries, reflects its long working life as a seat of power rather than a single planned structure.
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6
Craco (Ghost Village)
Craco was evacuated after landslides destabilized the hillside through the 1960s and 70s, leaving a medieval village frozen mid-abandonment, its church tower and stone houses still standing but structurally unsafe to enter without supervision. The site has been used as a filming location, including scenes for The Passion of the Christ and the James Bond film Quantum of Solace, thanks to its stark, unrestored appearance. Access is restricted to guided groups that follow a fixed route along the safer edges of the site, since the ground itself remains unstable.
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7
Venosa (Horace's Birthplace & Roman Ruins)
Venosa was the birthplace of the Roman poet Horace in 65 BC, and the town still carries visible layers of that Roman past alongside medieval additions. The archaeological park holds the remains of Roman baths and a residential domus with mosaic floors, next to the unfinished Trinità church (the Incompiuta), begun in the 11th century over an earlier paleo-Christian basilica and a Jewish catacomb complex, and left roofless. The Aragonese Castle in the town centre, with its own small museum, adds a separate later chapter rather than overlapping with the Roman-era park.
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8
Metaponto Archaeological Park
Metaponto was a Greek colony founded in the 7th century BC, part of Magna Graecia, and is where the philosopher Pythagoras spent his final years after being driven from Croton. The archaeological park preserves the remains of the ancient city's sanctuary area, including foundations of temples to Apollo and Hera, while the separately sited Tavole Palatine, a few kilometres away, is a well-preserved Doric temple with fifteen standing columns. The adjoining museum holds pottery, votive offerings, and grave goods excavated from the surrounding necropolises.
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9
Museo Nazionale Ridola
This is Basilicata's main archaeological museum, housed in a former 17th-century convent in Matera and named after the physician-archaeologist Domenico Ridola, who excavated the region's prehistoric sites. The collection runs from Paleolithic tools through Neolithic pottery to Greek and Hellenistic ceramics found in the area, tracing the long occupation of the Matera ravine before the Sassi were built. Rooms are organized chronologically, so a visit moves logically from stone-age finds to painted vases from nearby necropoli.
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10
Castel Lagopesole
This hunting lodge and fortress was one of the last building projects commissioned by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, left unfinished at his death in 1250 and completed by his son Manfred. Its scale and the rectangular keep set it apart from the smaller defensive towers scattered across the region, reflecting its role as a royal residence rather than a purely military outpost. Interior rooms include restored halls and a chapel, with views over the surrounding countryside from the upper floors.
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Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
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Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Visit popular attractions early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid crowds and harsh midday light.
Book tickets online in advance for major attractions to skip long queues and sometimes save money.
Many cities offer multi-attraction passes that include public transport. Calculate whether they save you money based on your itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
Is Matera worth visiting?
Absolutely — the Sassi cave city is one of the most unique urban landscapes in the world, a UNESCO site since 1993 and European Capital of Culture 2019. Allow at least a full day.
Can visitors enter the cave houses in Matera?
Yes — many caves have been converted to hotels, restaurants, and museums. Some original cave interiors are preserved as historical exhibits within the Sassi. Church tickets grant access to cave frescoes.
How do visitors get to Craco?
Drive to the car park at the base of the hill (Craco Nuovo), then join a guided tour. Independent entry to Craco Vecchio is not permitted. Tours run Sat–Sun at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00, and 17:00 (Apr–Oct). Book at CracoVive.it or call +39 0835 562209.