2- Venosa, a ring-route through history, wine and hills
Difficulty: medium / easy
Bike type: touring / road race / e-bike
Departure: Venosa – Pirro del Balzo Castle
Arrival: Venosa – Pirro del Balzo Castle
Total miles: 29 approximately
Road surface: asphalt
Height difference ascent: 880 m
Height difference descent: 987 m
Time of year: all year round, best in spring / autumn
ROUTE
Medium / low difficulty route also suitable for those who do not pedal daily.
The low mileage makes it simple but there are some hill climbs not to be underestimated. The scarce presence of car traffic, except in the vicinity of the larger towns, allows you to cycle in complete tranquility, among the vineyards and cellars of Aglianico DOC, olive groves and mills, interesting archaeological sites and medieval historic centers.
ROUTE 02
In the villages included on this tour, when you sit down to eat, you combine the flavour of unique specialties, seasoned with a drizzle of “Vulture” DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil (link to Basilicataturistica that we will give you a.s.a.p.), with a delicious, full-bodied, intense and smooth wine: Aglianco del Vulture DOC (link to Basilicataturistica that we will give you a.s.a.p.).
The scarce traffic means you can enjoy a totally peaceful ride, cycling among the vineyards of this fine wine, past olive groves and mills, through archaeological sites and medieval town centres.
The tour sets off in Venosa, the birthplace of the Latin poet Quinto Orazio Flacco. In the heart of this town, officially one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, stands the majestic Pirro del Balzo Castle, home to the National Archaeological Museum and starting point of the tour.
After about 5 miles, you reach Rapolla. This little town is renowned for its fascinating park of wine cellars dug into the volcanic tuff and for its small spa.
At this point of the tour, the more energetic among you can add a visit to Melfi, the city of the majestic Norman-Swabian castle used by Frederick II as a summer residence.
The tour continues towards Barile, one of the Lucanian towns of Albanian origin that still preserves ethnic and linguistic traditions of the Arbëreshë people. The town is famous for the Seshe, caves dug into the tuff and featured in the film by Pier Paolo Pasolini, The Gospel according to St Matthew (1964) and for the Sacred Representation of Holy Week that is staged every year through the local streets.
The next stop is Rionero in Vulture, where you can visit other Aglianico wineries by appointment. A few miles from Rionero, you reach the Monticchio Lakes, which fill the crater mouths of the ancient volcano on the south-western slope of Monte Vulture.
From here, it is just a few miles to Ripacandida. The small town is also described as the “little Assisi” of Basilicata for the fine Giotto frescoes that decorate the walls of the splendid sanctuary dedicated to San Donato Vescovo, patron saint of the town.
The last stretch, before returning to Venosa, crosses through Ginestra, another Arbëreshë town in Basilicata.
ROUTE 02b
