Lonely Planet, from 2022 Castelsaraceno in the ‘Matera and Basilicata’ guide.

by Paolo Borroi

Scheduled for release in spring, the new tourist guide, updated to 2022, will contain valuable travel information for getting to know and discovering Basilicata, the already famous Matera, but above all the village of Castelsaraceno and the magnificent, still unspoilt areas in which it is set, such as the Pollino and Val d’Agri Lagonegrese Lucano Apennine National Parks. The Visit Castelsaraceno brand is becoming more and more of a protagonist on the national tourist scene, among the most popular destinations in Basilicata and southern Italy, also among foreign tourists, thanks to the Lonely Planet guide.

Over the past few days we have welcomed and hosted the author and editor of the guide, Remo Carulli*, who, with professionalism and a spirit of discovery, has walked the world’s longest Tibetan bridge, despite a snowfall. Needless to say, the setting and atmosphere were magical. He then continued his exploratory visit to the Museum of Shepherding, a treasure trove of precious stories and a bastion of Lucanian shepherding identity, and finally the village. Remo wanted to find out what tourists can do in Castelsaraceno in winter, in addition to the Christmas programme, which has just ended with a large influx of tourists to the Mercatino delle Meraviglie (Market of Wonders), the Ice Rink (still active), the rich calendar of events and winter experiences such as: snowshoeing and trekking to the Alpi and Raparo mountains, walks in the woods and the beech forest of Bosco Favino, e-bike and mountain bike excursions and Quad bike tours. Also explore what else the tourist brand Visit Castelsaraceno and the territory offer in the summer season. All to enrich the new guide with lots of useful information and attractive proposals for tourists visiting Basilicata in search of things to do.

Remo, took information “where to sleep” on the accommodation facilities – of the extra-hotel type – present (hosted by Giorgia – B&B Continanza – our accommodation coordinator): the Casa Vacanze Rosa dei Venti with its three units, the B&B Carosello, the B&B Rosy Gallo and the B&B A Casa di Carla. Other facilities are nearing completion and will be operational in these early months of 2022. By 2022 we expect to have about 50 beds available.

We have made several restaurants known, such as: Ristorante da Federico, Ristorante Rural u’Vizzarro, Ristorante Lutipico and Ristorante Taverna Saracena. All offering typical Lucanian cuisine with a short supply chain and a well-stocked wine cellar with national labels.

Lonely Planet is an Australian publishing house that has been distributing travel guides all over the world since 1973 (in Italy they are translated and published by the EDT publishing house in Turin). EDT (Edizioni Di Torino) is an Italian publishing house founded in Turin in 1976 by Enzo Peruccio. Originally active in the field of music, over the years it has expanded its catalogue to include non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, gastronomy and tourism, with the Lonely Planet and Marco Polo guides.

Fact: The meaning of the name: The name was created on the basis of assonance with the expression lonely heart. Literally meaning “lonely planet”, the name is intended as an invitation to the reader to visit it.
Source: Wikipedia

Many thanks to Remo Carulli, Lonely Planet – EDT for the very welcome consideration.

*Remo Carulli is a psychologist, psychotherapist, lecturer in Sport Psychology and Clinical Psychology, writer and novelist. He graduated with a thesis on the Psychology of Religious Experience and later with a Master’s degree in Sport Psychology. Since 2005 he has worked with Lonely Planet on travel guides for various Italian regions, including: Tuscany, Piedmont, Basilicata, Umbria, Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo and Molise, Campania, Liguria.