You will "sieze the day" ("carpe diem"), as you venture out to visit Venosa, the charming Roman village and birthplace of the famous Latin Poet, Horace. Venosa, (from "Venusia", meaning town of Venus), is set against the backdrop of ancient archaeological ruins and vineyards, in the heart of the Vulture area. The name comes from the long inactive Monte Vulture volcano. The rich, fertile soil  is ideal for vineyards, in fact, it is here that the award-winning, DOC Aglianico wine is produced. 

After visiting Venosa and the town's historic highlights, you can have a delightful, traditional lunch in a lovely local restaurant and then move on to the area of Barile to have a wine-tasting and tour of one of the beautiful, local private vineyards.

https://tenutalequerce.it/ 

After this, I suggest moving on to the picturesque town of Rionero in Vulture, where you can finish the day visiting beautiful 17th century cellars, once used by Franciscan monks, before heading back to Matera.  https://www.cantinedelnotaio.it/it/

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Details

• ​Having your own transportation (and a sense of adventure!) is a must, as public transport is limited.

• Duration: this is a full day excursion, so allow for an entire day.

• Level of difficulty: easy, although *Comfortable walking shoes with good traction are always highly recommended.