Craco

Craco has the timeless charm of a ghost town.  Abandoned in 1963 after a landslide, the last in a series of landslides that began at the end of the 19th century, Craco Vecchia is a spectacular village of mediaeval origin. It stands on the watershed between the valleys of the Agri and Salandrella-Cavone rivers, on top of a cliff immersed in the landscape of the Calanchi. Before its ruin, the village had a flourishing past linked, according to tradition, to the Templars.

Today, Craco Vecchia is a collection of ruins, dilapidated and yet fascinating, where the almost surreal silence is interrupted only by the attentive steps of visitors on the uneven ground, protected by the obligatory protective helmets. You will come upon ancient churches, such as the Mother Church of San Nicola and the Madonna della Stella church, and noble palaces, from palazzo Carbone to palazzo Grossi, from palazzo Cammarota to palazzo Maronna. 

Once you arrive, you will feel like you are on a film set. It is no coincidence that Craco was chosen as the location for some iconic films, such as Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and Francesco Rosi's "Cristo si è fermato a Eboli".