Located about 800 meters above the sea, Potenza is the most populous city in Basilicata and the highest regional capital in Italy. An ancient settlement of the Lucani crossed by the river Basento and enclosed by the mountains, the city owes its name to the conquest by the Romans, who imposed by force their supremacy, namely the” Potentia Romanorum” (the power of the Romans). What are four good reasons to visit Potenza? Here they are.

1) Admire Piazza Matteotti, on which the Palazzo del Comune overlooks, where once stood the University Seat, a place of meeting of the people in the Angevin era. On the southern side of the square stands the Temple of St. Gerardo, which houses inside the statue of the patron saint of the city;

2) Stroll through the Via Pretoria ( significantly called U' Strusc' in the local dialect) animated and rich in shops and public establishments, which expands in the central Piazza Mario Pagano, with the nineteenth-century palace of the prefecture and the Teatro Stabile, built in the mid-nineteenth century;

3) Visit the cathedral built in the 13th century and dedicated to the patron saint of Potenza, S. Gerardo. Born as a Romanesque basilica with three naves, the church was transformed into a neoclassical building, with simple and sober lines, at the end of the 18th century, while maintaining the thirteenth-century portal surmounted by a elegant gable.

4) Participate in the events of May Potentino, organized in conjunction with the holidays in honor of the patron saint. For more than a month the city hosts events, cultural exhibitions, different special events. Characteristic of May are the classic Parade of the Turks, in costume, followed by the Palio dei Cavalli. In the historic center there are also evenings with local popular live music, tasting of typical products and local wines.