Basilicata: Ripacandida and Melfi

The following morning we have a nothing special breakfast in the bar in front and then drive to Ripacandida. Google maps hasn’t realized the main road is partly closed due to a landslide so it takes us a little longer than expected but we arrive in Ripacandida to find that the church of San Donato is open. The church is small but beautiful, with frescoes of the school of Giotto, and in fact the church has been twinned with that of Assisi. There are scenes from the New, and in particular Old, testament, saints, the virtues, the Sibille. Fascinating, and so nice that it’s open to the public.

Next to the church there’s a small but really beautiful garden, unusually well-tended for Italy, with ancient historical trees including a sequoia which is five hundred years old. 

It would be a good place to linger but we need some lunch, and the weather forecast of sun is, well, totally wrong, because dark clouds are brewing. We get to Rionero in Vulture just in time to check out a restaurant called Taverna Paradiso, before the heavens open. We sit in the car and pass time with our smart phones until it’s time to go to eat at 12.30. At that time, we are the only ones in the restaurant. We choose a first course each, not wanting to risk more sliced ham for antipasto. I have pasta with broccoli, breadcrumbs, peperone crusca and anchovies, Andrea with breadcrumbs and peperone crusca, a typical dish. It’s good. Andrea follows with grilled cheese and I try the lamb, remembering the lamb we ate in Troia last year. It’s good but not mouthwatering. The chips are good. The place is filling up so we make a hasty exit. The bill is less than 50 euros, reasonable. We stop for a coffee at a vending-machine place just across from the restaurant. 

Our next stop is Melfi. The drive through the countryside of Basilicata would be good except for the dark clouds and occasional spitting rain. In Melfi, before the rain starts again, we have time for a look at the main square, the outside of the cathedral with its belltower and griffons at the top and a quick stroll through the historical centre to the castle. 

Melfi castle is a little separate from the town and is very imposing. We pay 5 euros each to visit the castle and the archaeological museum inside. It’s warm and cosy inside after the cold wind and spitting rain and we take our time, although the most interesting exhibit is the Rapolla Sarcophagus. The views are also good. We have another coffee and then head back to Venosa where our planned evening of Netflix is ruined by a bad weather flood red alert for Basilicata and in particular the places we had planned to visit on our way south to Pisticci the following day.