Rotondella and the Balcony of the Ionian

History

Traces of Neolithic settlements have been found in the area, at Piano Sollazzo. The village appears in documents from 1261 as Rotunda Maris, perhaps because of its position overlooking the sea. The core you see today dates mainly from the 16th century, when it was fortified against raids by Turkish pirates.

What to see

• Il Balcone dello Jonio, the viewpoint in Piazza della Repubblica, with views of the coast across Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria.
• La Torre Sanseverino, also known as the Torre del Carcere (Prison Tower), built in 1518 for Ferrante Sanseverino, Prince of Salerno. It is the only surviving part of the defensive system and today houses the historic archive of the town library.
• Le Lamie di Bitonte, covered passageways with 17th-century vaults and arches beneath the Bitonte family palazzo.
• The town-centre palazzi, such as Palazzo Albisinni with its Baroque façade and the 16th-century Palazzo Rondinelli, and the murales that brighten the alleys and staircases.

Useful information

• Be sure to try u’ pastizz, a small pastry parcel filled with pork, eggs and cheese, and sospiri (sighs), sweets with a spiral of chocolate that recalls the shape of the village. Rotondella is also the land of apricots, celebrated in June.
• On 13 June the village celebrates Sant’Antonio, its patron saint: see the chiesa di Sant’Antonio da Padova.
• Nearby are the Gole di Candela for trekking, the spiaggia di Nova Siri and the Oasi WWF Bosco Pantano in Policoro. Rotondella is a stop on the Basilicata Coast to Coast trail.