Discover Craco, the most famous ghost town of Basilicata. Abandoned after a terrible landslide, it is now coming back to life...
A ghost town more alive than ever. Here is Craco, in Southern Italy, a small village in the province of Matera, in Basilicata. Perched on a hill, it is surrounded by vast fields of wheat and the characteristic calanchi, deep furrows in the ground along the side of a mountain or a hill.
The particular morphology of the landscape caused the abandonment of the village by its inhabitants, in the 1960s, after a terrible landslide that brought down the clay subsoil.
Life went on with the displacement of the inhabitants in the nearest village, Peschiera, leaving in fact Craco at the mercy of nature.
Since 2009, the country has been reclaimed to boost its tourism and culture.
What to see in Craco: a look at the history of the town
Everything changed in 1963, due to a terrible landslide.
The natural event was partly due to the geology of the territory, consisting of a clay soil mined by the waters below, partly to the human settlement, with numerous excavations of wells and cisterns that have further caused the flow of water.
Before the landslide, Craco was called “the city of wheat”, thanks to the many wheat fields cultivated here. The origin of the town, however, seems to be very ancient, and probably the town was already inhabited by the VIII century BC.
In the Middle Ages, Craco was a manor dating back to 1164, as evidenced by the quadrangular tower still present today.
In the course of the centuries, the town passed from one feudal to the other, and this explains the presence of numerous noble palaces, such as the Maronna Palace, Grossi Palace, Carbone Palace, Simonetti Palace, Cammarota Rigirone Palace.
How to get around the historical center of Craco
Today some of the buildings in the ghost town of Craco have been renovated and converted to cultural containers.
Not to mention that Craco has been a film set for major movies such as Mel Gibson's The Passion and Quantum of Solace from the 007 saga.
How to visit it though?
If you want to visit the ancient area of the village, with its ruins, you will have to rely on a guided tour. Equipped with protective helmets and a special pass issued by the municipal administration, the guide takes visitors through the areas of the collapse, discovering Craco and its history.
The tour, about an hour and a half long, allows visitors to immerse themselves in a place where time has stopped, for real.
If you prefer to visit it freely, however, you can do so, but without going beyond the protective fence of the ancient zone.
Where the Ghost Town is located
Craco, Matera (Basilicata)
Craco is located in the heart of the Basilicata region, 50 kilometers away from Matera.
Craco is nestled in a landscape that is as desolate as it is fascinating. It stands on a whitish cliff and watches the surrounding landscape from the height of its silent, almost intangible beauty.
To understand more about this poignant place, however, you just have to learn more about its history.
How to get there
Craco is easily accessible from major cities; it is also a popular destination for motorcyclists.
We indicate two routes.
From Salerno Reggio Calabria, take the Sicignano (PZ) exit and then go in the direction of Potenza. After that take the SS 407 Basentana in the direction of Metaponto. Exit at the Pisticci junction and follow the signs for Craco.
Alternatively, if you drive along the SS 106 Jonica (Taranto-Reggio Calabria), exit at Metaponto (MT) and take the SS 407 Basentana.
From there, the route to the ghost town of Basilicata will be super easy!