Fenix Tours
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The Vulture is located within a large territory that extends to the far north of the Basilicata region, south of the regional border marked by the Ofanto river, dominated by the austere profile of the Monte Vulture massif (1326 m), a volcano no longer active since protohistoric times, but which still cannot, strictly scientifically, being defines as "extinct". Inside the crater of the volcano there are the two beautiful Monticchio lakes. On the other side of the mountain, Melfi dominates the landscape with its imposing castle, one among the most beautiful in Southern Italy. A little further away Venosa with its Roman remains reminds us of the presence of Rome in this part of the South. Due to the presence of volcanic soils, the local vineyards produce an excellent red wine from the Aglianico grape and especially in the Barile area, they reach high quality levels. To close the visit to the Vulture it is the Federician castle of Lagopesole which has preserved its medieval layout.
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Venosa is a splendid city, where time passes between a past and present. This can be seen once you arrive in Piazza Orazio, where stands the statue dedicated to Horace, one of the greatest poets of the Roman era, near what may have been his home. To get to know every corner of this treasure trove of art, culture and spirituality, you have to go to the northern area of Basilicata, in the heart of the Vulture Melfese.
Here, on a plateau between two valleys and surrounded by lush vegetation and numerous hills, Venosa reveals itself in all its beauty.
A succession of artistic jewels and fine architecture can be admired from the moment you enter the town, between the Trinity church and the annexed Incompiuta, sacred places strongly linked to the origin of the Norman dynasty, the nearby Archaeological Park, until you reaches the heart of its historic center where the majestic Pirro del Balzo castle dominates, to then discover, just outside the city, the Jewish catacombs close to the Christian ones, demonstrating the presence of a substantial Jewish community between the 4th and 9th centuries.
Immersed in the splendid landscape of the Vulture Melfese, therefore the city of Melfi had a fairly particular wall in southern Italy. The inhabited area is still dominated by the majestic Norman-Swabian castle, built by the Normans and enlarged by Frederick II of Swabia, in whose rooms there is the "National Archaeological Museum of the Melfese Vulture Massimo Pallottino", which houses the important archaeological documentation found in the Vulture Melfese area. Having been characterized by the Byzantine presence, Vulture and Melfi also have extraordinary examples of rock churches such as those of Santa Margherita and Santa Lucia (13th century) dug out of the tuff, in addition to the splendid Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in the Swabian-Byzantine Gothic style, with coffered ceiling decorated in pure gold.
The Castle of Lagopesole is located at 820 meters in a homogeneous village built in the 11th century and enlarged by Frederick II of Swabia in 1242 on the remains of previous Norman-Swabian buildings before it became a hunting lodge and summer "otium". The Angevins complete the building by restoring the roof and equipping it with an aqueduct, stables and a small lake in front of which eels were bred, fished in the Versentino and Salpi lakes.
Very characteristic, Barile is one of the towns of Arbëreshe (Greek-Albanian) origin, whose language, traditions and religious cults have been preserved for centuries.
To the north of Basilicata, in the Vulture area, Barile has a suggestive position, placed on two hills separated by a ravine. Also considered one of the towns of oil and wine, just outside the inhabited center, you can visit the cellars of the "Sheshë", "square", characteristic and very small craft houses with colorful doors where they keep the precious Aglianico wine
Please do not forget to read the Terms & Conditions before booking. The reservation is valid after the payment of the advance or the full amount.
For the same tour there are two prices based on the number of people. For groups of more than 8 people, please contact us.
After deciding which excursion you want to do, click on the booking button that will open a partially pre-filled e-mail. You must indicate the tour, the date, the number of participants and your special requests. Probably it will take more than one e-mail to define the excursion but as soon as you receive our confirmation email, you can make the payment (in advance or in full).
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The balance can be paid either with Paypal, Wise and XE or at the latest, at the start of the tour by credit card or cash (euro).
The territory of Vulture has always been influenced by the presence of the extinct volcano that dominates its landscape beyond regional boundaries. The ancient Roman colony Venosa, and the first capital of the Norman kingdom Melfi are the two most representative centers but also the small centers of culture arbëreshe as Barile are worth visiting. The volcanic soils, traditionally very fertile, are mostly covered by woods but also extensive chestnut groves and vineyards that give a high quality red wine, Aglianico also called the Barolo of the South. In the heart of the crater of the extinct volcano, the two enchanting lakes of Monticchio are the idyllic setting for a fairy-tale landscape. Land of castles and vineyards, the ancient presence of the Normans is still witnessed by the Castle of Lagopesole that dominates the landscape along the way that connects the Vulture to the capital of Lucania Potenza. The visit of the birthplace of the Latin poet Horace (Venosa) or the medieval Melfi with the tasting of the magnificent Aglianico in one of the wineries in the area is an excellent combination for the day tour.
| 1-3 people | 4-7 people | ||||
| Full Price | Down Payment | Balance | Full Price | Down Payment | Balance |
| 750 € | 225 € | 525 € | 1050 € | 315 € | 735 € |
The territory of Vulture has always been influenced by the presence of the extinct volcano that dominates its landscape beyond regional boundaries. The ancient Roman colony Venosa, and the first capital of the Norman kingdom Melfi are the two most representative centers but also the small centers of culture arbëreshe as Barile are worth visiting. The volcanic soils, traditionally very fertile, are mostly covered by woods but also extensive chestnut groves and vineyards that give a high quality red wine, Aglianico also called the Barolo of the South. In the heart of the crater of the extinct volcano, the two enchanting lakes of Monticchio are the idyllic setting for a fairy-tale landscape. Land of castles and vineyards, the ancient presence of the Normans is still witnessed by the Castle of Lagopesole that dominates the landscape along the way that connects the Vulture to the capital of Lucania Potenza. The visit of the city & agrave; birth of the Latin poet Horace (Venosa) and the medieval Melfi with the tasting of the magnificent aglianico in one of the cellars of the area are the core of the two-day visit to which you can combine the visit to the lakes of Monticchio, Lagopesole Castle and the Italian-Albanian center Barile.
| 1-3 people | 4-7 people | ||||
| Full Price | Down Payment | Balance | Full Price | Down Payment | Balance |
| 1200 € | 360 € | 840 € | 1680 € | 504 € | 1176 € |
