This is a rare opportunity to experience two exceptional small towns in a single day; Castelmezzano has been recognized by The Telegraph in 2017 amongst “Italy’s 19 most beautiful villages”, and Pietrapertosa has been recognized by CNN in 2019 amongst its “20 most beautiful villages in Italy”.
All you have to do is decide on how to do it; by car, by hike, or if you want to experience a bit of adrenaline, my recommendation is to do it by air on the Volo dell’Angelo, a zip line that runs to and from both villages
To get there, I would drive to Castelmezzano as it’s an easier drive than Pietrapertosa. Also, if any of your group is hesitant to experience the Volo, the opportunity to hike to the top of Castelmezzano’s Volo launch gives you a spectacular view of the Dolomiti Lucano mountains; by the time the non-fliers hike back down through the town and grab a coffee at one of the cafes on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, those that flew the Volo should be back from Pietrapertosa.
As you enter Castelmezzano through a short tunnel at the top of the mountain, there is an easy parking lot located immediately on your right, located near the Volo’s return from Pietrapertosa. For anyone having second thoughts of this, it’s also good to first watch people coming in on the zip line, and see their smiles and satisfaction with their experience. From here a shuttle will take you into the village.
What time of day is an important decision. Traveling Italy is all about first deciding what are we doing for lunch and what are we doing for dinner. Then you fill in the gaps; easy to find things to do in Basilicata, but recognize that the stores are closed in the afternoon.
Consider arriving at Castelmezzano around 9:30. Take a tour of the village to learn about its Norman influence, and to pick up your passes at the Volo dell’ Angelo ticket outlet located further along Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Our hotel will help to pre-book your slot, but plan on 11:00. I recommend that you use a guide as not a lot is written about both villages; a guide comes in handy, both to get around, to get the best vantage points to appreciate the amazing landscape, and to understand the history of the villages. Our hotel can book a guide that will fly the Volo with you.
Once you arrive in Pietrapertosa by the Volo, a shuttle will take you to the return leg, but with the Guide, you will take a tour of the Village and hear about its Saracen roots. Plan on a 12:30 return flight to Castelmezzano, so that by 1:30 you are sitting down for a nice slow lunch. I am partial to Al Becco Della Civetta, its food is great and service is perfect, notwithstanding its large venue atmosphere.
For more basic Italian fare, try La Commenda dei Templari.
Look carefully at the calendar as to when the Volo operates; it operates every day in high season from first week of June to mid-September; the shoulder season is limited to weekends.
For the most fearless… have a good flight!
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