The highest regional capital in Italy, connected by very long escalators
At about 819 metres above sea level, on a ridge overlooking the valley of the Basento, Potenza, capital of Basilicata, is the highest regional capital in Italy. Its historic centre, built on the top of the hill, is crossed by Via Pretoria, the main street, lined with shops, cafés and palaces, which is the heart of the city's social life and its traditional passeggiata. Among its monuments are the Cathedral of San Gerardo, dedicated to the patron saint, rebuilt in the eighteenth century, the Torre Guevara, the last remains of the medieval castle, the Romanesque church of San Michele Arcangelo and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale della Basilicata "Dinu Adamesteanu", which displays important finds from the ancient Lucanian, Greek and Roman sites of the region.
Since the city stands on a steep hill, with the modern districts spread out on the slopes below, Potenza has built an extraordinary system of escalators, among the longest in Europe, which connect the lower districts and car parks with the historic centre, crossing the hill in a series of covered sections for more than a kilometre, an efficient and curious solution to the problem of the steep slopes, much appreciated by residents and visitors. Every year on 29 May, the eve of the feast of San Gerardo, the city celebrates the Parata dei Turchi, a spectacular historical parade with hundreds of participants in costume, which recalls, according to legend, a Saracen attack repelled thanks to the intervention of the patron saint. Potenza is also a good base for exploring the Lucanian Dolomites and the castle of Lagopesole.
Tip: take the escalators up to the centre and stroll along Via Pretoria; visit the national archaeological museum.
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