The calanchi are deeply eroded grey clay ravines that surround Pisticci on three sides, giving the landscape a quality that is genuinely unlike anything else in Italy. The formations — narrow ridges, pointed peaks, and gullies cut dozens of metres deep — have been compared to the Badlands of South Dakota, and while the scale is smaller, the visual effect is similarly disorienting.
The best views are from the edge of the old town, where you can look out over the full extent of the erosion with the Ionian coast visible in the distance on clear days. Hiking into the calanchi is possible on marked trails, though the terrain can be slippery after rain and the midsummer heat is serious. Early morning or late afternoon is the best time to walk.