15 – Emotional journey, ring-route from the archaeological excavations of Grumentum to the Black Madonna of Viggiano
Difficulty: medium
Bike type: gravel / road racing / e-bike
Departure: Grumentum
Arrival: Grumentum
Total miles: 78 approximately
Road surface: asphalt
Height difference ascent: 1280 m
Height difference descent: 1280 m
Time of year: from April to November
ROUTE
Itinerary in the area between the Agri river and the Pertusillo dam.
Easy route that always follows the valley bottom but also offers ideas for exploring other inland areas, climbing important climbs among fairytale landscapes.
ROUTE 15
The route, which can be divided into two stages, starts from the archaeological excavations of Grumentum, the most important Roman site in Basilicata, known as the “Little Pompeii” of Basilicata, and then proceeds towards Sarconi, the village known for the production of IGP bean, the main ingredient in the local cuisine, used both for the preparation of savoury and sweet dishes, from first courses to jams, from soups to ice cream.
After a pleasant ride, by following the signs for Spinoso, you reach the centre of this hillside village located in the centre of the Lucano Val D’Agri Lagonegrese Apennine National Park. From here, a 4 km cycle path leads to the shores of Lake Pertusillo, an artificial reservoir dammed by the Agri river.
Follow the road back to Spinoso.
Variant: by travelling a few more kilometres, it is possible to visit San Chirico Raparo, a village of ancient origins built around a castle of Angevin origin that was destroyed, and from here Castelsaraceno or Chiaromonte and Fardella, in the Pollino National Park.
The next stop on the tour is Armento, a very small town whose history is linked to connected to important archaeological discoveries, such as the Kneeling Satyr and the Golden Crown of Kritonios, now housed in the Archaeological Museum of Munich.
A nice climb then allows you to conquer the peaks of the surrounding mountains and reach Montemurro, the town that gave birth to the “poet-engineer” Leonardo Sinisgalli and the Risorgimento patriot Giacinto Albini, and eventually Viggiano, the town that houses the Black Madonna, patron saint of Basilicata, before returning to Grumentum.
ROUTE 15 variant
