HISTORY OF BASILICATA:
Today’s Basilicata occupies more or less the area of ancient Lucania, the land of the Lucanians, an Italic tribe who lived in the region around the 5th century BC. However, the first human settlements in Basilicata are much older, dating back to the 5th millenium BC, a fact evidenced by the cave dwellings discovered in Matera. Read More [...]
Between 300 BC and the 5th century AD, the area was dominated by the Romans and, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the region remained in Byzantine possession until 568, when it was conquered by the Lombards, becoming part of the Duchy of Benevento.
In 968, the area returned to the Byzantines and, in 1059, the region was conquered by the Normans.
In 1663, the province of Basilicata was created, with its capital in Matera. In 1735, under the Burbons, Basilicata became part of the Kingdom of Naples. In 1860, along with the nearby regions, Basilicata became part of the Kindom of Italy.
GEOGRAPHY OF BASILICATA:
Basilicata borders with Campania to the west, Apulia to the northeast, Calabria to the south, and with the Ionian Sea to the southeast. Read More [...]
Basilicata covers an extensive part of the southern Apennine Mountains, between the Ofanto River in the north and the Pollino Massif (Massiccio del Pollino) in the south. The region also has a short coastline to the southwest, on the Tyrrhenian Sea side of the peninsula.
The region is divided between two provinces, Potenza and Matera, and has its capital in Potenza. Besides Potenza and Matera, other important cities are Melfi, Pisticci, Maratea and Policoro.
TRANSPORT TO/IN BASILICATA:
Basilicata is a mountainous territory and the connections between the cities within the region and also with other regions were always difficult. The area has only a small airport in Pisticci and it relies on the nearby regions for air transport. Read More [...]
Therefore, the two main airports serving the region are the Karol Wojtyla Airport, located near Bari, and the Capodichino Airport, located near Naples.
The railway connections are carried out by Trenitalia and Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, operating to and from the Apulia region.
The only highway that crosses the region is the A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria, that links the capital Potenza to Campania and Naples to the west, and Calabria to the south.
If you arrive from Rome, Naples or the Adriatic coast, you can reach the northern area of Basilicata on the highway A16 Napoli-Canosa, which passes near the town of Melfi.