The guided route lasts about an hour. Add time for photographs from the road below and a stop in Pisticci.
1 Craco Vecchia
The old town clings to the ridge, with streets of empty houses, palazzi and churches. A guided route with helmets takes visitors along a secured path through the centre.
Practical: Guided visits only, ticketed. Times vary with the season.
2 The Norman tower
The square tower at the top of the town dates from the Norman period and is visible for miles across the hills.
Practical: Seen from the route and the road below.
3 Chiesa Madre di San Nicola
The mother church, with its bell tower, stands roofless and silent among the abandoned houses.
Practical: Seen on the guided route.
4 The calanchi and the viewpoints
Craco is surrounded by calanchi, deep-furrowed clay badlands. The roads around the town give the best views of its silhouette, especially in the early morning or late afternoon.
Practical: Free. Pull in safely; the roads are narrow.
5 Pisticci
A short drive away, Pisticci is a lived-in town with a quarter of small white houses on the hillside. Amaro Lucano, the herbal liqueur, comes from here.
Practical: Free to walk. The Amaro Lucano museum has its own visiting times.
