Sample Itineraries included in the program fee

Matera

Matera is famous for the Sassi, the houses built in caves of tuff rock which gave to the city the privilege of becoming the first site in the world declared by UNESCO as a "cultural landscape."  Populated since the Paleolithic Age, Matera is the most interesting city of Basilicata, not only for its Sassi, but also for the circa 125 churches with Byzantine frescos built into caves.

Thanks to its unique landscape and atmosphere several movies were filmed in Matera such as The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) directed by Pierpaolo Pasolini;  King David (1985), directed by Bruce Beresford with Richard Gere; The Passion of Christ (2004), directed by Mel Gibson, etc.

Chiaromonte (PZ)

When you visit Chiaromonte you are stepping back into history in a place populated since the Iron Age and the Bronze Age, and from the Etruscans and the Greeks. Given his strategic location up on the mountains, Chiaromonte was a fortified town during the Middle Ages, under the rulers of the Normans, Lombards and the Byzantine. Later it became a feudal possession of the Chiaromonte and the Sanseverino, a noble family originally from Salerno of which one can still see part of the castle.  In Chiaromonte you can see many noble Palazzi such as Lauria, Dolcetti, Di Giuria and visit very interesting churches such as the Chiesa di San Giovanni (XII-XIII sec.).

Chiaromonte is also famous for his circa 600 "grotte", caves carved into the mountains used for centuries as a place to keep the animals, wine, and as a food storage. Recently many grotte were restored and now are used as a cantina and a place where to keep the old agricultural tools. In our trip we will visit one of the grotta and taste the organic wine and homemade food prepared right there for us.

Maratea (PZ)

Town in the south of the Amalfi coast, Maratea has a unique landscape, with its breath-taking sea views from the crown of mountains which surrounds this pearl of the Tyrrhenian cost. Besides enjoying the crystalline water of the sea, in Maratea you can visit the Cave of Wonders, the Medieval Borgo (Old Town), the Cristo Redentore (which is similar to the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro) and the 44 churches which enrich this wonderful place.

Pictures of Maratea by Edigio Fulcro (www.argonauti.org).

Policoro (MT)

Policoro is a very interesting town on the Ionian coast which was built by the Greeks in 680 a.C. In Policoro it's possible to visit the Archeological Park of the ancient Greek town of Siris-Heraclea, the temple of Demetra and Dionisos (VII B.C.) which are next to the  Museo Nazionale della Siritide. Policoro is also famous for his long beach which attracts every summer many tourists.

Valsinni (MT)

Valsinni is part of the Pollino National Park. On the top of Coppolo Mountain, a very old Greek city was discovered. According to the legend the city was founded by Epeo, the builder of the Trojan Horse. In Valsinni we can visit its wonderful historic downtown and the Morra Castel, which is one of the best preserved of the Region Basilicata. In Valsinni was born the famous poet Isabella Morra (1520-1546), who was killed when she was only 26 by her brothers for a presume relationship that she had with the Spanish baron Diego Sandoval de Castro.

Castello Morra                            Isabella Morra

Other Excursions:  

Monte Cotugno, the biggest dam/artificial lake of Europe.

Pollino National Park. Guided excursion on the Pollino Mountains, where you can see and touch the pino loricato, an Ice Age tree which exists only in this area of Italy and in the Balkans. The excursion includes a stop at a workshop of "fragolino", the delicious liquor made with wild strawberries typical of this area. 

Visit of another two regions included in the fee: Campania and Puglia

In Campania we will visit the magnificent Certosa di Padula, which in 1998 has been declared a Human Patrimony by UNESCO. This wonderful Carthusian monastery was built in 1306 by Tommaso Sanseverino in devotion to San Lorenzo. Most of the Certosa di Padula today is in Baroque style and it has 320 rooms. The monastery is 543595.2637244349 square feet and has the biggest cloister in the world (about 129171.15177610335 SqFt), surrounded by 84 columns.  

Then we will see the fantastic Grotte di Pertosa with the life show of Dante's Inferno. Here, under the vigilant guide of Dante we will make our journey through Hell. The trip starts on the Boat of Charon over the black river Negro (symbolizing the Acheron) which will carry us in front of the doors of Hell. Accompanied by Dante's and his guide Virgil we will assist to a wonderful representation of the main episodes and characters of Inferno, from the confessions of the sins to the judge of Hell Minos, to the eternal love of Paolo and Francesca, from the last trip of the famous Greek hero Ulysses, to the sorrow of Count Ugolino della Gherardesca for his death and the death of his sons. For more information on the representation of Inferno at the Grotte di Pertosa visit www.tappetovolante.org/dante/scheda.php  

Labs and sport activities samples

Cucina Lucana: You can learn from professional chefs how to prepare the delicious homemade fresh pasta of Basilicata, together with the typical sauces, cheese, mushrooms, and meat of the area.  

Fragolino: At the Pollino Mountains we will visit a workshop of fragolino, the delicious liquor made with wild strawberries typical of Basilicata.

Morever students will be able to practice Italian language in a real-life environments such as at the fruttivendolo (fruit vendor), albergo (hotel), ristorante (restaurant), panetteria (bakery), pasticceria (pastry shop-cafe`), edicola (newspaper and magazine stand), etc. 

Please notice that labs are selected and scheduled at the discretion of the program director.

While in San Severino you will have the possibility of practicing some sports such as climbing, mountain bike, trekking, and rafting. For the latest, we have to reach the river Lao where those who are interested can go rafting (the rates, which include also the full equipment, are the following: 15 Euros per person for 1 hour; 45 Euros per person for 3 hours). For rafting and other sports on fiume Lao please visit www.laocanoa.it ).  

Please notice that the fee for the rafting must be paid directly to the local organization and not to the De Rada Institute, which is not responsible for it.

Traveling and transfers not included in the program fee

Traveling information coming soon.

Please notice that the fee for the transfer must be paid directly to the local organization and not to the De Rada Institute, which is not responsible for it.

Special 4-Week Combined Program: if you want you can also stay 2 weeks in the mountains of San Severino Lucano and 2 weeks on the sea town of Otranto.

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The application and a $100 non-refundable deposit is due on April 15, 2010. The remaining tuition balance is due the first week of May, 2010. Enrollment is limited. Late Applications may be considered. Please email to check availability. See application form for further details.