6- Up and down the hills of Matera, a ring route to discover characteristic villages
Difficulty: medium / high
Bike type: touring / road race / e-bike
Departure: Matera – Piazza V. Veneto
Arrival: Matera – Piazza V. Veneto
Total miles: 71 approximately
Road surface: 90% asphalt
Height difference ascent: 1590 m
Height difference descent: 1590 m
Time of year: all year round
ROUTE
Tour of medium-high difficulty which, also considering the length, can be covered in two or more stages.
The route develops on roads with little vehicular traffic except in the vicinity of Matera, where it is necessary to pay attention. The climate and the elevation guarantee it can be traveled all year round, but the best seasons are spring and autumn.
ROUTE 06
The tour takes you along roads with little traffic, except in the vicinity of Matera, where due care must be taken. The climate and the elevation mean the route can be enjoyed all year round, but the best seasons are spring and autumn.
The route begins in Matera, one of the oldest cities in the world and European Capital of Culture 2019. The city is world famous for its Sassi, World Heritage Site since 1993 along with the Park of the Rupestrian Churches.
After leaving the Città dei Sassi, the tour moves on towards Montescaglioso. Once in the town, you can visit the old town centre and the Benedictine Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo.
The next stop is Miglionico. Here, you can climb up to the small old town centre to visit the ancient Castle of Malconsiglio (Bad Council) and the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, home to the polyptych by Giovanni Battista Cima.
The route continues for nearly 7 miles up and down along a road that offers breathtaking views, first over the Bradano Valley and then the Basento Valley, to reach Grottole. The name recalls the grotticelle, little caves still visible along the slopes of the town and used by craftsmen to mould vases and jugs from clay. Here you can find the fascinating remains of a majestic church dedicated to Saints Luca and Giuliano, left unfinished and called ‘Diruta’.
Cycling enthusiasts who want to pedal on further can extend the tour to reach Grassano, the ‘Nativity Town’. In the stunning Palazzo Materi, you can admire the splendid nativity scene by the local master Franco Artese, thanks to whom, in recent years, the nativity art of Lucania has found its way to the principal squares and churches in Italy and around the world, starting with St Peter’s Square in Rome.
After Grassano, the extended tour takes you to Irsina, one of the oldest towns in Basilicata, famous for the majestic Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (13th century), home to a treasure of extraordinary beauty and inestimable value: a sculpture of Santa Eufemia in Nanto stone believed to have been created by Andrea Mantegna.
The non-extended route takes you back to Matera along a spectacular stretch of road with very little traffic, which caresses the hills as it runs alongside the San Giuliano Regional Reserve.
