In the heart of Southern Italy is Potenza, a thriving city of approximately sixty-seven square miles. Although much of the province of Potenza is largely rural, as the capital of its namesake province and the region of Basilicata, the city is often a flurry of activity. Potenza is also considered to be one of the friendliest towns in Italy.

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

One of the most important annual events in Potenza is the Festival of San Gerardo which takes place annually on May 29. Although this event is largely based on folklore, many residents acknowledge the festival as a historic celebration.

Popular legend says that Saracen pirates navigated their ships upstream on the Basenta River while the unsuspecting residents of Potenza were sleeping. The pirates began to attack the city and the people were caught by surprise, making them virtually defenseless. At that moment it is said that angels formed a row in the heavens and lit up the sky. The vision startled the pirates so that the people of Potenza were able to organize and mount a defense. When the pirates finally left the city, the people credited their success to San Gerardo who was once the bishop of their city.

Each year during the festival, a special procession winds through the streets reenacting this legendary event. Around this same time Maggio Potentino takes place, a series of heavily attended cultural and sporting events in Potenza.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Some of Potenza’s most engaging outdoor activities are centers for public activities. With a number of beautiful city squares as well as a unique two-story city set up complete with dozens of stairways, there is no shortage of ways to get some exercise.

Piazza Mateotti is a narrow square found in the city’s center. One of the main attractions here is a small temple with a statue of San Gerardo. The San Gerardo di Marmo, sometimes referred to as Edicola di San Gerardo, is an open-air monument and a stunning piece of architecture featuring intricate detailing carved in to the semicircular structure, as well as five stately columns.

The Piazza Mario Pagano is another beautiful open-air square that is largely enclosed by a series of buildings, cafés, and street lamps. It is not uncommon to find youngsters running or playing games here while adults enjoy their laughter from a table at a nearby café as they sip a cup of coffee.

The city of Potenza is in a way, a two-story town. The older part of the city sits at the top of a steep hill and the more modern part of town lies just beneath it. Dozens of stairways can be found throughout the city that connect these two different levels of Potenza. Taking the city stairs is a fantastic way to sightsee in Potenza while sneaking in a little exercise.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

The Palazzo Loffredo is a fifteenth century palace located in the city limits and was the first residence of the feudal Lords of Potenza. The structure changed hands and rulers frequently over the years and has experienced numerous renovations, both of which have changed the original structure of the palace. The structure now features a clean, streamlined style of architecture with a number of arched windows and main arched doorway.

For a quick history lesson about Potenza and its people, do not miss the National Archaeology Museum of Basilicata in the Santa Maria district. The museum is home to a variety of prehistoric artifacts, such as jewelry and religious objects, as well as an ethnographic section of Greek and Roman carvings, earthenware, and weapons.

The State Archives of Potenza, referred to by locals as Archivio di Stato, has moved locations a number of times over the years due to various circumstances. The organization has preserved a number of valuable and fascinating documents from years of Potenza’s and Basilicata’s history. The archives have possession of documents with roots tracing all the way back to the fourteenth century. Also of interest is the National Library of Potenza, which hosts approximately 300,000 books and manuscripts.

FAMILY

One of the best ways to truly take in Potenza’s beauty is to wander the city. Families often find respite from their touring schedules on the street called Via Pretoria. This main street is known for its fabulous window-shopping opportunities, particularly during the traditional evening stroll known as passeggiata. Shopping along Via Pretoria is likely to yield truly unique finds and treasures as it is comprised almost entirely of mom-and-pop stores that carry a variety of different items that are generally not of a typical souvenir variety.

KIDS

With Potenza being a city of two levels with lots of stairways, all that walking can get tiresome for young children. Fortunately, in addition to car and bus transportation, the city offers an unusual alternative that can be fun and a little easier on the feet via an escalator system.

Potenza’s escalator system is more than forty-two hundred feet long. Rather than being one long continuous ride, the system features landing spaces in between stretches of escalator so that riders can take a break and enjoy the view. The escalators move fairly slowly and are not typically very crowded since locals tend not to use this mode of transportation very often.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Less than an hour outside of the city limits is a truly unique experience dubbed by travelers as The Flight of The Angel. Locally referred to as Il Volo dell’Angelo, this ride is considered to be quite a thrill and perfect for adventure seekers.

Riders are attached with harnesses to a high-speed zip wire that connects two mountain peaks. Scenery from the valley below is gorgeous at a height of over three thousand feet in the air as riders cruise at a speed of up to seventy-five miles per hour. This outrageously fun activity will have your adrenaline rushing before, during, and after the ride.

As the capital of the Basilicata region, Potenza offers a wide variety of cultural and interactive activities for travelers of all ages. From exploring the upper and lower parts of town via the escalators to admiring the historic architecture and spending time in the museums, Potenza is certainly worth including in a travel itinerary to Southern Italy.