Pisticci
©
Pisticci

Pisticci

Basilicata hill town of whitewashed houses perched above the eroded clay ravines of the calanchi

Pisticci is a hilltop town in Basilicata, perched dramatically above the calanchi — deeply eroded clay ravines that give the surrounding landscape a stark, lunar beauty. The town has a long history: it flourished under the Normans, and the old centre retains a tangle of narrow streets and white-washed houses.

In 1688 a catastrophic landslide destroyed the area around the castle and killed over 400 people. Many survivors built small houses near the edge of the ravine, and this row of distinctive white houses — the Dirupo — can still be seen clinging to the cliff edge. Nearby, in the hamlet of San Basilio, the Masseria Fortificata is a fortified farmstead built by the Normans under Roger I and later converted into an abbey by Basilian monks in 1133. The surrounding terrain is rough and wild, good for hiking. Pisticci is also the birthplace of Amaro Lucano, the herbal bitters that have been produced here since 1894.

Guide

Getting There

Pisticci is best reached by car from Matera (about 50 kilometres) or from the Ionian coast near Metaponto (about 20 kilometres). The town is not on a main rail line, though the Metaponto railway station on the Taranto–Reggio Calabria line is the nearest useful railhead and is served by connections to Bari, Taranto, and points south.

By car, the drive from Matera through the Lucanian hills is one of the better approaches to the town — the road passes through a landscape of calanchi and isolated masserie that prepares you for what you will find in Pisticci itself.

Guide

Things to Do

Pisticci's appeal lies in its landscape and its history. The calanchi — clay ravines that dominate the countryside — are extraordinary to look at, and the old town centre has enough history and architecture to occupy a half-day's exploration.