Basilicata is one of the poorest regions in Italy. As such it is often overlooked. However, there are some gems to be seen in Basilicata. The two that I recommend are Maratea and Matera. Maratea is included here and Matera is in my Favorites section. The two Towns are conveniently located for touring the deep South.
Maratea
This town is located in the sliver of Basilicata that touches the Tyrrhenian Sea. All in all it is a great stopover with a beautiful old town and a lovely waterfront. If you have an itinerary that includes both Positano and Tropea then this is a good stopping off point that breaks the trip up into manageable drives. Don’t miss the ride up the Mountain to the huge statue of Christ that reminds me of pictures from the statue in Rio.
Hotel
La Locanda delle Donne Monache
This is a lovely hotel with a pool. It is an old convent dating from 1775 that has been turned into a very nice property. We had room #9 which had a great bathtub that was built into the rocks which gave this room real character. The bed was firm and the room was clean. The staff are very welcoming and greeted us immediately when we pulled in and they parked our car. They serve a nice breakfast by the pool which is a lovely setting. I will warn you that there are nearby church bells that seem to like to go off at all hours.
Eats
LA TAVERNA DI ZU CICCO
We enjoyed a plate of good appetizers here including Cacio Cavallo, Sinese Peppers and Baccala that were very good. After that we enjoyed Pedolica steak which is a local breed of cattle from this area and Pork Chops with peppers. All in all a very nice meal. Toys is a 6 minute walk from La Locanda delle Donne Monache.
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