While Basilicata is mostly a mountainous region, it features a number of beaches as it is touched by the Ionian sea on the east coast and Tyrrhenian on the west.
The most family-friendly beaches are located on the east coast, facing the Ionian Sea. Here, the azure waters similar to those of Ionian Greece, are not too deep, the beaches are wide and sandy, usually preceded by bushy pine forests.
Metaponto is the best equipped resort, with hotels and sleeping facilities of all kinds, from rental homes to campsites. The beach is large and sandy, equipped with beach facilities. In addition, Metaponto features the most impressive ruins of Ancient Greece in Basilicata.
Other beaches on the Ionian coast include: Scanzano Jonico, nestled between the mouths of the Agri and Cavone rivers; Nova Siri, once an important city of Magna Grecia, where the landscape is a mix of mountains and sea; Policoro, with its golden sand and slightly deeper waters, and a protected oasis where it is possible to see many species of birds and wild animals.
On the west coast, facing the Tyrrhenian sea, Cala Jannita is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches of Basilicata. Located in the province of Maratea, its distinctive trait is the dark color of the sand, which earned it the nickname of ‘Black Beach’ (Spiaggia Nera). The picturesque coves of Maratea are located in the Gulf of Policastro, set among rocky cliffs. Wild Calaficarra beach is made of clear gravel and dark pebbles. Fiumicello and Macarro Maratea are wide and sandy and the most kid-friendly beaches. Solitary and less known, but easily reachable is the beach of Acquafredda.
