8 – From the Lucanian Dolomites to the Calanchi di Aliano, among villages set in the rock with a literary thread
Difficulty: medium / high
Bike type: touring / gravel / e-bike
Departure: Castelmezzano
Arrival: Aliano
Total miles: 35
Road surface: 90% asphalt
Height difference ascent: 1180 m
Height difference descent: 1430 m
Time of year: from April to November
ROUTE
A route that runs from the sandstone of the Lucanian Dolomites to the clay of the Calanchi, as far as the Sauro Valley and Aliano.
ROUTE 08
The tour starts in Castelmezzano, a small town nestled among the rocks. Officially recognized as one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, the little town owes its fame to the Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angel): an adrenaline-fuelled flight hanging belly down from a steel cable, travelling at speeds of up to 120 km/h, linking Castelmezzano to the overlooking town of Pietrapertosa, a mile away, in just over a minute.
The second stage of this tour is Pietrapertosa, also recognized as one of the most beautiful towns in Italy and a destination for the more adventurous tourists who wish to experience the thrill of flight, alone or in pairs.
After crossing the woods and the Montepiano Pass, a downhill stretch leads to Cirigliano, one of the smallest villages in Basilicata. This pretty and welcoming ancient stone village is located between the Castle and the Mother Church and features numerous archaeological traces of the Roman era.
After a few miles on flat ground, we follow the signs for Aliano. Perched on a clay ridge, Aliano is the town of the Calanchi (badlands) and the confinement of Carlo Levi, surrounded by this evocative and lunar landscape that the painter and doctor from Turin described in his novel Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (Christ stopped at Eboli).
