Viggiano

Viggiano overlooks the upper Agri valley and is one of the places dearest to the people of Basilicata: on the Sacro Monte, at over 1,700 metres, stands the sanctuary of the Black Madonna, patron saint of the region. Her statue is carried up to the sanctuary on the first Sunday of May and back to town on the first Sunday of September, followed by thousands of pilgrims.

Viggiano is also the home of the folk harp: for centuries its travelling musicians carried Lucanian tunes across Europe and the Americas, and the tradition lives on in schools and concerts.

The wooded valley is also known for porcini mushrooms and woodland produce, celebrated with a dedicated festival.