In the heart of Basilicata, nestled among the majestic peaks of the Pollino National Park, lies a village where time seems to slow down, inviting you to savor every moment with calm and wonder. San Severino Lucano is more than just a village; it’s a journey into the most authentic soul of southern Italy, where nature, tradition, and art blend into a unique experience.
San Severino Lucano: Gateway to the Pollino National Park
San Severino Lucano offers a genuine and raw atmosphere, a quintessential Basilicata experience. This charming village, located in the Pollino National Park in the province of Potenza, is an ideal starting point for nature walks through forests of beech, fir, and high-altitude loricate pines, a species that can only be found in this park in Italy.
With a population of just 1,700, San Severino Lucano has two churches and three bars. I step inside the central church, Santa Maria degli Angeli, primarily to admire the wooden statue of the Madonna.
The Celebration of the Madonna del Pollino
San Severino Lucano is famous for the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Pollino, a sacred site perched on a rocky spur at 1,537 meters, offering panoramic views. Devotees come from all over the region and neighboring Calabria to visit.
In early June, the traditional “ascent to the mountain” takes place, when the statue of the Madonna is carried from the central church, where it stays from September to May, to the sanctuary 18 kilometers away. The statue remains there until early September.
Murals and Local Traditions
Throughout the village, you’ll find large murals depicting key moments of this evocative ceremony. These murals reveal the love and devotion of the community to this tradition, in a land where the sacred and the pagan still coexist harmoniously.
The procession is made entirely on foot, with many faithful participating, walking to the sounds of tambourines and bagpipes, accompanied by singing and dancing in a festive and genuine atmosphere of folklore. Of course, as in all Basilicata gatherings, food plays a central role, with participants sharing generous quantities of local delicacies along the way.
Many of the houses in the village, small, neat row homes, leave their keys in the door. It’s a common practice here, a testament to the peacefulness of the place, a calm only briefly interrupted by the influx of tourists in August.
Local Craft and Culinary Delights
Near the central bar and church, I step into a shop selling handmade baskets, wooden items, and a wide selection of traditional pocket knives. Inside, you can find all kinds of local products, from wild boar sausages to peperoni cruschi (dried peppers), porcini mushrooms, and freshly picked ovoli buoni (a prized mushroom variety).
The World’s Slowest Carousel
As the sun begins to set, I hurry to the Timpa della Guardia lookout, perched at 1,125 meters, to see the open-air art installation “RB Ride” by German artist Carsten Höller, which everyone has been telling me about.
The playful wind tousles my hair as I make my way up to see this famous artwork before it gets too dark. The mountains in the distance are backlit by the last rays of the sun, offering a stunning view.
The piece, silhouetted against the horizon, is a large, retro-style carousel with 12 arms, each holding a colorful gondola. Just looking at it transforms the landscape. Up to two people can ride in each gondola, with a maximum of 24 passengers, for a ride that lasts 15 minutes.
Höller’s goal is to offer an experience that changes not only your perspective but also your sense of time. The unusually slow speed creates an unexpected movement that disorients the rider, allowing them to fully appreciate the surrounding beauty from a fresh, slow perspective.
The world’s slowest carousel operates only during the summer, so I wasn’t able to try it. However, even sitting in one of the gondolas while it was stationary gave me a taste of playfulness and tranquility, in a space far removed from the noise, lights, and crowds of a typical amusement park.
Slow Travel in Basilicata
In a world that’s moving ever faster, San Severino Lucano invites you to slow down, to rediscover the value of taking your time and reconnecting deeply with nature and tradition. Whether you’re walking through the ancient forests of the Pollino, participating in local festivals, or admiring the landscape from Carsten Höller’s iconic carousel, this small village is the perfect place for a slow travel experience.
The experience shared in this article is part of the Basilicata Slow Educational Tour organized by Melandri Viaggi, in collaboration with Viaggi del Milione and the P.A.R.T.I. BASILICATA program, designed to promote the beauty and traditions of Basilicata through immersive and authentic travel experiences.
Cover image: Photo by Vittorio de Santis
