The Ghost Town
Tours stopping in Craco
Craco is a former medieval ghost village located in Basilicata region, about 55 miles inland from Bari and 21 miles from Matera.
The settlement occupies a rock formation above the surrounding hills with its architecture neatly built into the landscape. Perched strategically on top of a 400 meter (1,300 ft) high cliff, overlooking the arid countryside of southern Italy, this ghost town once provided panoramic views and warnings of potential attackers.
In the 1950’s, the soil conditions of the town deteriorated further, causing more landslides and making the town and the buildings dangerous to live in. Periodic earthquakes were a secondary cause of destruction. In 1963, the last 1,800 residents left Craco for their own safety and were relocated to the new town in the valley below just a few kilometers away.