Hiking in Basilicata, Italy - PART II

Here is Part II of our Basilicata trip. 

a basic tip for road travel in Italy:

Fill up on gas and check your tires because you never know....

Pack a lunch and snacks, and bring lots of water. 

Usually, when I'm exploring and having fun, the Italians are having their riposo (siesta as we know it) and it usually starts around midday and ends around 5ish. 

So, it's difficult to get anything to eat that's not in an Osteria/Restaurant, which means a full on multi-course meal which lasts for hours... and I'm talking hours. 

Most places are closed, so it's best to pack something to eat. 

Dress in layers and bring an extra pair of runners or walking shoes. 

The weather can be unpredictable. 

 I had to split the posts into two parts because there were so many lovely photos that I wanted to share with you all. The main aspect I love about road trips, other than the sense of freedom one gets, is the adventure of the unexpected....and boy did we ever get a couple of lovely unexpected surprises. As we were driving on a long open road, we saw a large, medieval castle rising out of the valley. 

The region of Basilicata and Calabria are right next to each other, so this castle that we stumbled upon was in the town of Oriolo, Calabro near Pollino, National Park. The castle was built in the fifteenth century

It was the main feature of a little town nestled in a small valley not far from our hiking excursion. 

I just couldn't believe our luck. We stopped the car to get a few photos and decided that after our hike we would stop and have a look at the castle on our way back. 

This gigantic clock is part of the building structure of the castle. 

And the clock still works!

Stairway to the entrance to the castle....sadly it was closed for restoration.

A view of the massive castle from the ground. 

I have no idea who or what made the many holes in the structure. 

There were hundreds of birds flying in and out of the holes. 

It was obvious that this castle had been neglected for a long time.

Hopefully it will be restored and will be viewable by the public.

On the return home, we saw this lovely castle that had been renovated and turned into a restaurant and wedding venue. 

Wedding venues are very popular in Italy and old castles are often 

restored for this purpose.

Here's me saying goodbye to a very long but happy weekend. 

I hope you enjoyed reading a little about the Basilicata. 

How was your weekend?

Any tips that you'd like to share on road travel?