The greater part of the Basilicata territory
is covered by mountains, with areas often difficult to reach
that have conserved an almost wild character, where the
presence of humans is marginal and one can immerse one-self
in undisturbed nature.
Tranquillity,
fresh air, extensive forests and immense meadows, make the
Lucano mountains an ideal place for those passionate about
trekking, mountain-biking, horse-back riding, rock-climbing
and bird-watching. Additionally, there are profuse histories,
traditions and cuisines present in every corner of this
territory, all of which bear proud witness to the rich culture
of the people here.
The Pollino National
Park is the largest national park in Italy. It covers
a surface area of around 200,000 hectares of mountains on
both the Calabrian and Lucano sides. Aside from its vastness,
the remarkable variety of flora and fauna alone is worth
the visit. There is a variety of vegetation including birch
forests, white fir, and on the peaks, the extremely rare
Loricato Pine.
Among these mountains’ wilder inhabitants, there are
royal eagles, wolves, wild boar, royal owls, skunks and
porcupines. Also characterizing the park is the presence
of small villages of ethnic Albanians, which date back to
the 25th century and have managed to keep their Balkan traditions
intact. In San Costantino it is still possible to hear sacred
and pagan songs and attend traditional Balkan dances to
the sound of the zampogna, a sort of bag-pipe.
Found in the heart of Basilicata
is the Regional Park of Gallipoli
Cognato and the Lucano Dolomites.
This park is primarily made up of the Gallipoli Cognato
Forest, which covers most of the area and flows into the
surrounding forests. The fascinating Lucano Dolomites are
a picturesque and jagged chain of compact sandstone peaks,
shaped by nature, which extend from the Moors of Castelmezzano
to the town of Pietrapertosa. 
This chain creates a unique landscape in which rocky spires
and towers stand out, dominating the Basento Valley.
There are other mountainous zones in Basilicata:
the Sirino chain in the West, the Lucano Apennine chain
between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas, the Vulture mountains
and the mountains surrounding Potenza. These are all areas
covered by forests where nature is still the master of time.
