10 things to do and to see in Irsina

A complete and detailed guide of 10 things to do and to see in Irsina

Irsina, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, is situated at the altitude of 600 meters, lying between dams and streams. With its 262 km² of territory it is the second largest municipality in Basilicata after Matera, which is only 59 km away. Called Montepeloso until 1895, Irsina is a town of rich history, traditions and local tastes, all to be discovered.

At the foot of the Irsina hill are the bottini, long tunnels used in the Middle Ages to channel water, still conveyed to the eighteenth-century fountain known as “the 12 fountains”. Today the galleries are open and can be visited by appointment to let you discover the secrets of the underground town in an evocative way. The most famous is the Bottino di Contrada Fontana, a fascinating route consisting of a main gallery and three long and narrow tunnels.

Of all the architectural beauties of Irsina, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the best known. Destroyed and rebuilt several times, today it stands out with the Romanesque and Doric bell tower, and with its Neapolitan Baroque facade. It is best known for hosting the painted statue of Saint Euphemia the martyr, the protagonist of the great festival that takes place in September from 14 to 17. Also noteworthy is the crypt, which is accessed by two very suggestive stairways.

Irsina is somewhat reminiscent of Matera, above all due to the presence of cave-houses very similar to those of the city of the Sassi. Here too, in fact, the ancient inhabitants dug the rock creating houses, cellars and stables that still dot the historic center. If you are curious to learn more, you can visit the Barbaro cave house, now protected by the FAI. It is the best preserved house and also the most beautiful, with its two levels and the rocky caverns that make up its environments.

Known for the cultivation of cereals and the breeding of the Lucanian black pig, Irsina offers traditional cuisine of peasant origin. The main dishes are simple and tasty, such as callaridd, prepared with adult lamb and vegetables, a ciaudedd, stale bread soaked and seasoned with olive oil, oregano and cherry tomatoes, and u pen cutt, stale bread cooked and seasoned with turnips. All delicacies that can be tasted in the Trattoria Nugent, an ideal place to enjoy authentic local cuisine in a historical location.

There is no better way to fully experience Irsina than staying in the heart of the old town, an experience possible thanks to the work carried out by the municipality to improve and enhance tourist hospitality. Thanks to the restoration project of some ancient houses, Borgo Albergo Terra Cereris was born, which offers various accommodations in the suggestive alleys of the historic center. For example, the B&B I Basilischi. It is a very comfortable structure and a perfect base for visiting the beauties of the place.

If you are passionate about history, visit the Janora Civic Museum, which houses about 1,600 artifacts belonging to the collection of the Irsinese historian and archaeologist Michele Janora. In the six rooms inside the convent of San Francesco you can discover the objects from necropolis and tombs scattered along the eastern part of Basilicata and the north-western area of ​​Puglia. The most valuable piece of the collection is the red-figure chalice krater dating back to the first quarter of the 4th century BC, but there are also testimonies that date back to the Neolithic.

About 10 km from the center of Irsina there is a large green area where you can spend a few relaxing hours in the middle of untouched nature. It is the Bosco di Verrutoli, loved by tourists and locals for the picnic area and for the ancient paths that allow you to discover the areas of uncontaminated beauty. If you are lucky, you might even spot some fallow deer along the way: the forest is home to a herd of these animals, which live freely among the trees of the reserve.

Among the many festivities that are celebrated in Irsina, the feast of the Pietà and Pizzicantò is the most particular. The event, which takes place on the last Sunday of May, begins with the celebration of the image of the Madonna della Pietà, followed by Pizzicantò, a game that involves the creation of a human pyramid. Five people form the basis  and the others climb to the top to form the tower which, once complete, begins to move in a circular dance to the rhythm of traditional song sung together with the spectators.