Stage n.74 (Lucania)
Lauria – Castelluccio Superiore
Area
Lucania
Difficulty
E – Hiking
Distance
18,3 km
Travel time
5.50 hrs
Start
Lauria – Monumento ai Caduti square
Finish
Castelluccio Superiore
Difference in altitude
↑ 716m ↓ 332m
Accessible
April – October
Springs and fountainheads with waypoint
No
River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)
No
A wonderful stage that connects two ancient towns in the internal Lucania region – Lauria and Castelluccio Superiore and two valleys rich in Greek, Roman and medieval remains, two valleys that share superb landscapes, history and stories. A land of saints and beatified people, admirals and great state officials, members of parliament and MEPs.
The town of Lauria, is located in the Upper Valley of the Noce River, in the western part of the region, in the province of Potenza, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian coast and the city of Maratea. Hermitages and caves offer testimonies to the life of saints and preachers who lived here. Castle and Churches: reason and faith; temporal power and spiritual power. Everything is surrounded by mountains, large forests and small cultivated areas with many rural houses to form a sort of constellation that has as its fulcrum the residential centre.
Castelluccio Superiore is a small town in the interior of Basilicata: perched on the eastern slopes of the Cozzo Pàstano, it is laid out like a balcony above the Mèrcure Valley. A small and colourful group of houses, which seem to be stacked one on top of the other, overlook the high peaks of the Pollino Massif.
The ancient route of the Calabro-Lucana railway with its bridges and tunnels acts as a link between the two areas. A truly exciting path.
Lauria. The remains of the Ruggiero di Lauria castle
A wonderful stage that connects two ancient towns in the internal Lucania region – Lauria and Castelluccio Superiore and two valleys rich in Greek, Roman and medieval remains, two valleys that share superb landscapes, history and stories. A land of saints and beatified people, admirals and great state officials, members of parliament and MEPs.
The town of Lauria, is located in the Upper Valley of the Noce River, in the western part of the region, in the province of Potenza, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian coast and the city of Maratea. Hermitages and caves offer testimonies to the life of saints and preachers who lived here. Castle and Churches: reason and faith; temporal power and spiritual power. Everything is surrounded by mountains, large forests and small cultivated areas with many rural houses to form a sort of constellation that has as its fulcrum the residential centre.
Castelluccio Superiore is a small town in the interior of Basilicata: perched on the eastern slopes of the Cozzo Pàstano, it is laid out like a balcony above the Mèrcure Valley. A small and colourful group of houses, which seem to be stacked one on top of the other, overlook the high peaks of the Pollino Massif.
The ancient route of the Calabro-Lucana railway with its bridges and tunnels acts as a link between the two areas. A truly exciting path.
Lauria. The remains of the Ruggiero di Lauria castle
Area
Lucania
Difficulty
E – Hiking
Distance
18,3 km
Travel time
5.50 hrs
Start
Lauria – Monumento ai Caduti square
Finish
Castelluccio Superiore
Difference in altitude
↑ 716m ↓ 332m
Accessible
April – October
Springs and fountainheads with waypoint
No
River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)
No
Castelluccio Superiore. Garibaldi Street
Route
The route starts from Piazza del Popolo in the centre of Lauria. It continues in a southerly direction, to take the Provinciale della Melara road on the left, slightly uphill, continuing up towards the church of Santa Maria della Sanità (now a ruin). This church is well known in Lauria because here, on the evening of Palm Sunday in 1630, a historic meeting took place between two young men from Lauria: a conventual friar, and the future Cardinal Brancati. Continuing through forest landscapes, small cultivated fields and grazing animals, you reach the hermitage of Sant’Elia.
From this small and simple hermitage located on a very panoramic ridge, continue along the dirt road to the left and, after a few bends, you reach the first houses of the small village of Taverna del Postiere. Finally, turning to the right, you proceed on the asphalted road towards the provincial road. Once on the provincial road, take a small road downhill towards the Càffaro stream. At this point you start along the cycle path towards the right. The cycle path was created along the route of the glorious former Calabro-Lucana railway. Iron bridges and daring tunnels follow one after another. You will soon arrive at Galdo station. From here the old railway route has been partially incorporated into a motorway junction and the industrial area of Lauria. The route continues along the cycle path until it returns to the railway track again at the Prestieri tollbooth. More tunnels (to walk through them you need to have a head torch, an umbrella and a rain jacket with you) and bridges with sweeping views of the surrounding woods. Among the many bridges you must not forget the flyover that crosses the Magnasole canal: a true engineering masterpiece. You are now on the home straight: vegetable gardens and cultivated fields, large chestnut trees mark the way. In a short time you reach the convergence with the Calabria’s state road (SP)19. Turn left and continue towards the town of Castelluccio Superiore
From this small and simple hermitage located on a very panoramic ridge, continue along the dirt road to the left and, after a few bends, you reach the first houses of the small village of Taverna del Postiere. Finally, turning to the right, you proceed on the asphalted road towards the provincial road. Once on the provincial road, take a small road downhill towards the Càffaro stream. At this point you start along the cycle path towards the right. The cycle path was created along the route of the glorious former Calabro-Lucana railway. Iron bridges and daring tunnels follow one after another. You will soon arrive at Galdo station. From here the old railway route has been partially incorporated into a motorway junction and the industrial area of Lauria. The route continues along the cycle path until it returns to the railway track again at the Prestieri tollbooth. More tunnels (to walk through them you need to have a head torch, an umbrella and a rain jacket with you) and bridges with sweeping views of the surrounding woods. Among the many bridges you must not forget the flyover that crosses the Magnasole canal: a true engineering masterpiece. You are now on the home straight: vegetable gardens and cultivated fields, large chestnut trees mark the way. In a short time you reach the convergence with the Calabria’s state road (SP)19. Turn left and continue towards the town of Castelluccio Superiore
Brief historical overview
Lauria is a small town in the interior of Basilicata with just over twelve thousand inhabitants.
Located at the base of Colle Armo, a mountainous appendage of the Monte Sirino massif, it is located just over three hundred meters above sea level and enjoys a temperate climate.
Its origins are lost in the deepest antiquity. According to some local historians, the first mention of this town is in the Peutingeriana chart in reference to the Roman road “Popilia”; other historians trace its foundation either to the Greek colonization of the area or to the migration from nearby towns besieged by Pyrrhus’s troops.
Other scholars declare that the name originates from the Lauro plant that abounded in the area where Admiral Ruggiero di Loria or Lauria’s castle was built. With the building of the castle, the homonymous fiefdom was established, which for a long time played a central role in the economic policy of the entire Noce valley due to its many commercial activities, such as crafts and trade.
Even today, the Lauriota community is supported by a very important road system that connects both with the Tyrrhenian sea (the valley floor of the River Noce), and with Campania to the north and Calabria to the south, both served by the route of the Autostrada del Mediterranean. The town is connected to the rest of the Basilicata region by the Sinni valley road. Lauria was the birthplace of Beatified Domenico Lentini.
Located at the base of Colle Armo, a mountainous appendage of the Monte Sirino massif, it is located just over three hundred meters above sea level and enjoys a temperate climate.
Its origins are lost in the deepest antiquity. According to some local historians, the first mention of this town is in the Peutingeriana chart in reference to the Roman road “Popilia”; other historians trace its foundation either to the Greek colonization of the area or to the migration from nearby towns besieged by Pyrrhus’s troops.
Other scholars declare that the name originates from the Lauro plant that abounded in the area where Admiral Ruggiero di Loria or Lauria’s castle was built. With the building of the castle, the homonymous fiefdom was established, which for a long time played a central role in the economic policy of the entire Noce valley due to its many commercial activities, such as crafts and trade.
Even today, the Lauriota community is supported by a very important road system that connects both with the Tyrrhenian sea (the valley floor of the River Noce), and with Campania to the north and Calabria to the south, both served by the route of the Autostrada del Mediterranean. The town is connected to the rest of the Basilicata region by the Sinni valley road. Lauria was the birthplace of Beatified Domenico Lentini.
Lauria. Parish Church of St. James the Apostle
Lauria enjoys the privilege of having one of the largest town areas in Basilicata and, consequently, the orography of the area has favoured the founding of many villages, even quite far from the municipal core. One of these hamlets is known as Galdo di Lauria. It is located east of the historic centre and has developed around the Lauria South motorway junction. Favoured by being a flat area and only a stone’s throw from one of the most important motorway arteries in Italy, a network of small and active industries has developed that have transformed this part of the region into an industrial area in all respects.
Lauria. Bikers near the iron bridge at the Galdo railway tollbooths
Any house in Castelluccio Superiore perched on the slopes of Cozzo Pàstano can claim to be a balcony over the Mercure-Lao Valley, which marked the southern border of ancient Lucania.
Perhaps built on the ruins of the ancient “Nerulum” constructed by the Romans at the intersection of two very important trade routes: Via Popilia and Via Herculea. This community had a notable expansion and commercial growth in the Middle Ages when the fiefdom was bought and maintained for several centuries by Sanseverino. According to historians, the fortification of the castle, controlled by a Lucanian captain named Lucio, gave rise to the name: Castel di Lucio and later the current name Castelluccio.
The urban structure is common to that of many other towns in nearby Calabria: compact masonry buildings, packed together at different levels, with narrow and winding streets with steep slopes. In many homes the arched structures of the houses created small tunnels used as short cuts and protect passers-by from the elements.
Perhaps built on the ruins of the ancient “Nerulum” constructed by the Romans at the intersection of two very important trade routes: Via Popilia and Via Herculea. This community had a notable expansion and commercial growth in the Middle Ages when the fiefdom was bought and maintained for several centuries by Sanseverino. According to historians, the fortification of the castle, controlled by a Lucanian captain named Lucio, gave rise to the name: Castel di Lucio and later the current name Castelluccio.
The urban structure is common to that of many other towns in nearby Calabria: compact masonry buildings, packed together at different levels, with narrow and winding streets with steep slopes. In many homes the arched structures of the houses created small tunnels used as short cuts and protect passers-by from the elements.
Lauria. Walker leaving the tunnel of the Calabro-Lucana railway
Map and elevation profile
Further information
Guides of reference for the stage:
Antonio Ielpo +39 339 3154816 – mail: info@laterradeimulini.it – web: www.percorsilucani.it;
Giuseppe Cosenza +39 347 2631462 – mail: uida@viaggiarenelpollino.it – web: www.viaggiarenelpollino.it
Antonio Ielpo +39 339 3154816 – mail: info@laterradeimulini.it – web: www.percorsilucani.it;
Giuseppe Cosenza +39 347 2631462 – mail: uida@viaggiarenelpollino.it – web: www.viaggiarenelpollino.it
Where to sleep
[Lauria]
Apartments – Case Ducali – tel. +39 339. 3154816 – mail: info@laterradeimulini.it – web: www.percorsilucani.it
B&B – La fontana Borbone – tel. +39 389 833 0646
Hotel – Isola di Lauria – tel. +39 0973 823905 – web: www.facebook.com/isoladi.lauria
Pensione – Pensione Vittoria – tel. +39 0973 823114
[Galdo di Lauria]
Hotel – Happy Moment – tel. +39 0973 624198 – web: www.happymomentshotel.com
[Castelluccio Superiore]
B&B – Casa Scintilla – tel. +39 348 1714063 – web: www.facebook.com/Casa-Scintilla-315270249421175
B&B – La Casa Sulla Valle – tel. +39 348 1714063 – web: https://la-casa-sulla-valle-castelluccio-superiore.hotelmix.it
B&B – Santa Croce – tel. +39 333 2522693 web: www.facebook.com/BB-Santa-Croce-186673954716762
Hotel – San Raffaele – tel. +39 0973 662129, +39 3475126016 – mail: hotel.sanraffaele@libero.it – web: www.hotelsanraffaele.com
Hotel – Sette e Mezzo – tel. +39 0973 663274 – mail: sette.mezzo@tiscali.it – web: www.hotelsetteemezzo.it
Where to eat
[Lauria]
Farmhouse – Cazzanedda – tel. +39 0973 620106; +39 333 9965346 mail: risto.cazzanedda@gmail.com – web: www.cazzanedda.it
Restaurant – Pizzeria “Panaino” – tel. +39 0973 823920 – web: www.ristorantepanaino.it
[Galdo di Lauria]
Hotel – Happy Moment – tel. +39 0973 624198 – web: www.happymomentshotel.com
Bar – Zia Rosa – tel. +39 0973 624036
[Castelluccio Superiore]
Bar – Blu Moon- tel. +39 320 9547631
Hotel – San Raffaele – tel. +39 0973 662129, +39 3475126016 – mail: hotel.sanraffaele@libero.it – web: www.hotelsanraffaele.com
Hotel – Sette e Mezzo – tel. +39 0973 663274 – mail: sette.mezzo@tiscali.it – web: www.hotelsetteemezzo.it
Pizza & Grill: Convivio Felice – tel. +39 347 6394652 – web: www.facebook.com/Pizza-Grill-Convivio-Felice-221413431871952
Last update: 2022-07-29
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