Potenza and Matera are the two Provinces that make up the Basilicata Region, an Italian Region that offers the tourist numerous holiday proposals for those who love to ski, for those who prefer the sun and the sea, for those who wish to dedicate their time to art and culture, and for those who only want to relax in the warm embrace of the thermal waters.

At over 1,200 metres in altitude, and not too far from the capital - Potenza, one finds Sellata-Pierfaone, a renowned and well equipped skiing station which also offers cross country skiing. A little further away there are winter holiday destinations: Monte Voggoano, Monte della Madonna, and Monte Sirino.

However, the Basilicata Region also faces two seas: the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian seas, into which the main rivers of the Region flow, and it is for this reason that the surrounding environment surprises so much with its so different panorama's, rich in splendid contradictions. Suffice it to mention the splendid city of Maratea.

Also splendid are the lake landscapes which design a real and proper scenery behind the lakes of Laudemio, Rotonda, and Monticchio.

After the mountains and the seas, the nature is also surprising thanks to its parks. To name but a few: the woody Parco del Pollino, Parco della Val d'Agri with its numerous species of birds, and the Parco di Gallipoli Cognato, a real forrest.

In another park, the Parco Nazionale del Pollino, there is a renowned spa and wellness centre. Particularly famous is also that present in Rapolla.

Art does not go a miss in the Basilicata Region; the tourist offices often advise visitors to take at least four days of their holiday so as to dedicate themselves to this aspect of the Region. Leaving from Potenza, through Acerenza, Venosa and finishing in Melfi.

The cycle-tourism pathways are also very interesting. By using this healthy means of transport which doesn't harm the environment and is good for one's health, one can go from Maratea to Rotonda, from Matera to Potenza, from Accettura to Policoro.

Amongst the most renowned typical products is the famous Lucanica, a savory sausage, the legume soups, and the exceptional oil with which one can dress any dish.

Many hotels in the Basilicata Region propose interesting offers for holidays which allow the tourist to discover, in the best of ways, this enchanting Italian Region.