Travel to the Val d'Agri

Grumento Nova and Viggiano (the Black Madonna, the harp and music)

Arrival in Grumento Nova, where, about 5 km from the town center you can visit the remains of the ancient city of Grumentum. Near the archaeological area is the National Archaeological Museum Alta Val d’Agri, an exhibition that tells the story of Grumentum and the surrounding area with a route divided into several sections in which valuable finds found in the Grumento Nova area are exposed, ranging from Prehistory to medieval bas-reliefs. Equally interesting is the historic center, full of alleys in medieval style, the Castle Sanseverino that still has remains of the original Norman structure, a pleasant town villa and Palazzo Giliberti, home of the National Library “Carlo Danio”. There is also the mother church of Saint Antoninus, Bishop and Martyr of Apamea where you can admire the remains of the Roman temple of Serapis; you can also visit The church square is also a viewpoint overlooking the Val d’Agri. The church is located in the middle of the village.

In the afternoon you can visit Viggiano where, at the highest point of the village, is located what remains of the castle built in medieval times and from here you will also have a wonderful panoramic view over the entire Valley of the river Agri. There is also the Convent of S. Maria del Gesù which today houses the Museum of popular traditions, one of the most interesting architecture of the village and the church attached to the convent and that dedicated to S. Antonio.

On the outskirts of the town is the Villa del Marchese, an ancient building belonging to the Marquises Sanfelice di Monteforte that permanently houses the Conservatory and the School of Popular Harp Viggianese.

The Italian-American musician and entrepreneur Victor Salvi, winner of the 2015 Lucani Insigni award, brought to Piasco in 1974 the N.S.M (New musical instruments) whose harps are playing today in the major theatres of the world. Salvi in the U.S.A. has played the role of First Harp of the Philharmonic Orchestra of New York and the NBC Orchestra under the direction of the maestro Toscanini.

Important from the religious point of view is the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna of the Sacro Monte di Viggiano where there is a statue of the Virgin with an olive-colored face, celebrated twice a year by thousands of faithful, and to the

The famous hole in which it would have been found is visible on the shoulders of the altar. Dinner and overnight

Day 2 - Moliterno: the home of the Canestrato Pecorino Igp

Early in the morning you can go to Moliterno, birthplace of the parents of Domenico Melillo, winner of the award Lucani Insigni 2021; a Lucan who has carried high in the world the name of his land and tradition of an important family and who gave his best to Panama, where one of the largest groups of Italians came together in a society helping each other.

Moliterno dominates the high Val d’Agri in the heart of the Lucano Apennine park Val D’agri-Lagonegrese, the youngest of the Italian parks; here, walking through the streets of the village, you will discover the Rooms located on the ground floor or in the semi-basement of noble palaces, similar to cellars that since 1700 are used to age the canestrato. After that you can visit many of the interiors of the castle and climb to the top of the watchtower, probably Lombard, and from its 25 meters enjoy a view of the surrounding valley.

Characteristic of the historic center of Moliterno are its elegant noble palaces, the most famous is Palazzo Parisi, built in the nineteenth century, but are also noteworthy Gilberti Palace, The former convent of 1600, Palazzo Mobilio-Giampietro, a 16th century building that shares the cloister with the Church of the Rosary, and Palazzo Valinoti, today the seat of the Bibliomediateca Giacomo Racioppi.

In the afternoon you can visit the MAM, a complex of 7 museums, each dedicated to a different art form.

Dinner and overnight in Viggiano

Day 3 - Marsico Nuovo and Brienza

Transfer to Marsico Nuovo, a charming village with its medieval historic centre where, among the various noble buildings that embellish it, Palazzo Pignatelli is the most majestic dating back to 1670.

Perched on the top of the hill is the Cathedral of San Giorgio, dating back to the 12th century and enriched by a bell tower.

You can visit, inside the church of San Michele Arcangelo, the Museum of Sacred Art, an exhibition that contains inside a series of works from the numerous churches in the country and the church of San Gianuario the most characteristic of Marsico Nuovo.

For nature lovers, there is the Fontana delle Brecce – Piana del Lago Park, a naturalistic complex that includes rich beech and hill forests, springs and seasonal streams, a mountain refuge, from which winds a path surrounded by greenery of about 2 km that leads to the plateau known as Piana del Lago, where there is a natural lake.

In the afternoon you can visit Brienza, where the most famous monument is Caracciolo Castle, a must-see during a visit to the village, Even more beautiful in summer when it comes back during numerous reenactments.

The upper part of Brienza is now uninhabited but perfectly preserved and the road leading to the castle is worth walking along it calmly to admire all the views.

At the top of the Sacrato you can admire the Sanctuary of the Holy Crucifix, one of the oldest in the

South and the Roverella, an ultra-secular oak that is one of the twenty largest plants in Italy. End of services