Duration: 2-3 days.
Itinerary:
Monticchio Laghi – Ripacandida – Venosa
Distances:
A) Lavello – Monticchio Laghi
40km | 35 minutes
B) Lavello – Ripacandida
30km | 25 minutes
C) Lavello – Venosa
14km – 20 minutes
Mount Vulture and its Pearls
Monticchio Laghi
This itinerary entails the discovery of one of Basilicata’s most beautiful places: the Monticchio Lakes. Together, we will explore the Small Lake and the Large Lake, traversing the lush forests of this peaceful and tranquil location. We will then ascend to the wonderful Benedictine Abbey of San Michele, which reflects on the Small Lake. In addition to visiting the beautiful cave with the statue of the Saint, offering breathtaking views of the two lakes, we will admire the Natural History Museum of Vulture. From here, we will move towards the WWF Grotticelle Oasis, a natural reserve where the extraordinary “Bramea Europea” butterfly is born, reproduces, and dies, discovered by Count Harting and unique in the world.
Ripacandida
Next, we will move to Ripacandida, a small center of Vulture, where we will visit the Sanctuary of San Donato. Situated at the entrance of the village, it is one of the most beautiful sacred places in the region. Richly decorated, it contains a series of frescoes that, in terms of grandeur of representation, themes, and technique, have been likened to those of the Upper Basilica of Assisi. These Giottesque frescoes have earned Ripacandida the designation of “Lucanian Assisi.” The cycle recounts specific episodes of the Old and New Testaments, following the technique of partitioning into scenes. Next to the Sanctuary, we will visit the Garden of San Francesco D’Assisi: a maze of centuries-old trees of extraordinary beauty. We will conclude the visit with the HONEY SPA, the first wellness center in Europe based on Honey!
Venosa
From Lavello, we will move to Venosa, an ancient Roman city and one of the most important places in Basilicata for its artistic and archaeological heritage. We will visit the Castle and its Museum, the historic center, and the cathedral. From there, we will proceed to see the house of the great poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus, passing through the cathedral until we reach the archaeological park, where we will visit the Church of the Holy Trinity and the majestic “Incompiuta” (Unfinished).
