Un giorno tra Accettura, Cirigliano e Gorgoglione

The Lucanian Dolomites aren't just a place to look at: they're a territory to live slowly, one step at a time. Here's a typical day between Accettura, Cirigliano and Gorgoglione, through woods, stone villages and a horseback ride you won't forget.

The day opens in the green of the Bosco di Montepiano, home to Aurora Glamping: transparent domes tucked among the trees, designed for anyone looking for a romantic break away from the noise, with the comfort of a proper bed and a starry sky overhead.

Not far away is the farm run by Daniele Bartolomeo, twenty-one years old, who chose to carry on the family tradition. This is where Casiello is made by hand, a small goat's-milk cheese now a Slow Food Presidium: the milk warmed, the kid rennet added, the curd worked entirely by hand until smooth and compact.

At the Cirigliano Outdoor Park, among the trees of the wood, you can try an aerial obstacle course strung between walkways and steel cables: an activity suited to adults too, perfect for a bit of adrenaline surrounded by nature.

But it's by keeping your feet — almost — on the ground that you live one of the best moments of the day: the horseback ride with Dolomiti a Cavallo. Stefania and Francesco accompany riders of every level along the trails of the Piccole Dolomiti Lucane, from thirty-minute rides for first-timers to full-day treks with a rest stop. It's a moment that stays with you: the horse's slow pace, the landscape opening up at every turn, the feeling of truly being part of that place.

The village of Cirigliano clusters around its baronial castle, among stone houses and narrow alleys. It's also the ancestral home of Nicola Romeo, founder of Alfa Romeo. At lunchtime, at Ristorante Il Mulino, you can try dishes from Lucanian tradition: pezzente sausage from the Materano mountains, handmade orecchiette, wild asparagus.

A few kilometres on you reach Gorgoglione, the village of stone: around 800 residents at 800 metres above sea level, overlooking the Agri river valley. This is where the eponymous pietra di Gorgoglione comes from, a prized sandstone still used today for flooring and cladding. Just outside the centre stands the Santuario della Madonna di Pergamo, the destination every year on 11 June of a procession deeply felt by the community.

At the foot of the village opens the Grotta dei Briganti: almost a thousand square metres carved into the rock, a hideout for bands of brigands in the 19th century and rediscovered only in the late 1990s. A striking stop for anyone who loves history and out-of-the-ordinary places.

The day winds down in the square, among festival lights, the scent of caciocavallo cheese melted over the fire and grilled meat, and live music carrying into the evening. It's here you really understand what hospitality means in these villages: no need for grand words, just a smile is enough to feel at home.

If you'd like to live a day like this too, with nature, flavours and a sunset in the saddle, book your ride with Dolomiti a Cavallo and discover the most authentic heart of Basilicata with us.