CNA – Basilicata Coast to Coast

Arrive in Naples by your own means, meet the guide, and transfer to the hotel in Maratea. Check in and settle into your room. Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Departure for the hike along the “Sentiero degli Eremi” trail, ending at the Christ the Redeemer statue. Visit to the Cathedral of San Biagio and the ruins of the ancient castle, lunch on your own, and transfer to Trecchina, a small village with narrow streets, the ruins of the 16th-century castle, and the central Piazza del Popolo. We’ll climb up to the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Soccorso, where we’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire Gulf of Policastro. Don’t miss some of the local food and wine specialties, such as Trecchina bread, walnut pastries, and chestnut ice cream. Technical details: 7 km, +400 m elevation gain, 4 hours (moderate). Transfer to Castelluccio Superiore. Arrival at the hotel, check-in, dinner at the hotel, and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Hike through “The Garden of the Gods,” so named for the significant presence of young Loricato pines (Pinus leucodermis Ant.), a botanical rarity and the true star of the Pollino National Park. We’ll be completely immersed in the lush nature of Italy’s largest national park, crossing vast plateaus amid streams and centuries-old beech forests, all under the curious gaze of Podolica horses and cows grazing in the wild. We’ll arrive in the afternoon near the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Pollino, where we’ll make a brief stop at the Loricato mountain hut. Technical details: 14 km, +650 m elevation gain, 7 hours; moderate to challenging. Return to the hotel, dinner at the hotel, and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Excursion to Sacro Monte di Viaggiano at 1,725 meters, home to the Shrine of the Black Madonna, patroness of Basilicata. From the top of Sacro Monte, we’ll enjoy a view of the entire Agri Valley, with its small villages and the peaks of the Lucanian Apennines National Park serving as a backdrop—including the Sirino Massif, Mount Alpi, the Maddalena Range, and Mount Raparo. Tasting of typical Lucanian products, followed by a visit to the archaeological site of Grumentum—often referred to as a “little Lucanian Pompeii”—located on the shores of Lake Pertusillo near the spot where some memorable scenes from Rocco Papaleo’s film were shot. Dinner and overnight stay in Aliano.

Breakfast and check-out. Departure for Craco, one of Italy’s most significant ghost towns, where Rocco Papaleo delivered the famous line, “…I want to believe that Craco has rejected modernity.” Next, we’ll head to Montalbano Jonico for a hike through the badlands along the so-called “Appiett’,” ancient mule trails that connected the town center with the fertile valleys of the Agri River. Montalbano Jonico is home to the Francesco Lomonaco Literary Park, dedicated to one of Basilicata’s greatest literary figures and mentor to Alessandro Manzoni. Lunch, followed by a trip to Policoro, situated on the shores of the Ionian Sea near an ancient city of Magna Graecia known as Heraclea—a magical place where history, culture, and nature come together in an unparalleled harmony. In the afternoon, enjoy a well-deserved rest on the beach in Policoro, with the option to go for a swim. Technical details: 4 km, 300 m elevation gain, 3 hours, easy. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay in Policoro.

Breakfast and check-out. Departure for Craco, one of Italy’s most significant ghost towns, where Rocco Papaleo delivered the famous line, “…I want to believe that Craco has rejected modernity.” Next, we’ll head to Montalbano Jonico for a hike through the badlands along the so-called “Appiett’,” ancient mule trails that connected the town center with the fertile valleys of the Agri River. Montalbano Jonico is home to the Francesco Lomonaco Literary Park, dedicated to one of Basilicata’s greatest literary figures and mentor to Alessandro Manzoni. Lunch, followed by a trip to Policoro, situated on the shores of the Ionian Sea near an ancient city of Magna Graecia known as Heraclea—a magical place where history, culture, and nature come together in an unparalleled harmony. In the afternoon, enjoy a well-deserved rest on the beach in Policoro, with the option to go for a swim. Technical details: 4 km, 300 m elevation gain, 3 hours, easy. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay in Policoro.

Breakfast and check-out. Transfer to Naples and/or Bari. End of services.