Potenza Car Rental

Potenza is the capital of Basilicata and is the highest town in Italy (819 metres above sea level), known as the “vertical city” and “city of a hundred stairs,” It is located north-west of the Lucanian Dolomites and is surrounded by mountains and immersed in an atmosphere of peace and relaxation.

An ideal destination for all types of travellers, Potenza contains many historical and archaeological treasures and is also an excellent base for visiting other jewels in Basilicata.

Renting a car in Potenza is therefore the perfect choice for those who want to experience a special holiday, discovering the most authentic aspects of this magnificent city.

What to see in Potenza: the most beautiful places to discover by foot or car

Once you have rented a car at the Maggiore Office in Lauria-Potenza, you can head for the old town centre, which, given its particular layout, is best visited on foot.

You can park your car in Via Carlo Armellini, and from here it is only a 10-minute walk to the city centre, where churches, palazzos and museums of unrivalled beauty await you.

The must-see religious buildings include the beautiful Romanesque Church of San Michele Arcangelo, the oldest in the city built in 1178, the Duomo or the Cathedral of San Gerardo dedicated to the patron saint of Potenza, and the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi, built in 1274 in typical Franciscan style.

Also worth seeing in the capital is the famous Tempietto or Edicola di San Gerardo, adorned with a bust of the saint created by Michele Busciolano, the National Archaeological Museum of Basilicata, housed in Palazzo Loffredo and dedicated to Dinu Adamesteanu, and the Chapel of the Beato Bonaventura, located in an alley of the same name along Via Pretoria, the ancient Roman “Decumanus.”

Along Via Pretoria, a street only for pedestrians, you will find other places of interest such as Piazza Mario Pagano, or “Piazza Prefettura”, the true heart of the historic centre, the beautiful Palazzo del Governo with the adjacent Villa del Prefetto and the evocative Francesco Stabile Theatre, built in 1856 at the behest of the people of Potenza.

Once back in the car, it is possible to reach other destinations of great interest around the city.

A 30-minute drive along the E847 road will take you to the Parco della Grancia, Italy’s first historic rural park with a surface area of 50 hectares.

Located near the beautiful village of Brindisi di Montagna, the park is a place of history and folklore, perfect for discovering traditions, customs, cuisine and popular music thanks to the numerous events organised.

The most interesting of these is undoubtedly “La Storia Bandita” (The Bandit’s Story), a performance that mixes theatre, cinema and music to re-enact the story of Carmine Crocco, leader of the Lucanian peasants rebellion.

Also by car you can reach the Roman Villa of Malvaccaro, located about 5 km north of Potenza.

The remains of the Villa, only discovered in 1973, date back to the second half of the 4th century AD and one of the most interesting finds is certainly a magnificent mosaic of 120 meters, possibly dedicated to the Three Graces.

Also reachable by car is the Church of Santa Maria del Sepolcro, located outside the city walls in the district of Santa Maria, the place where Bishop Gerardo performed the miracle of the transmutation of water into wine.

What to see near Potenza

Renting a car in Potenza will allow you to visit many unique places surrounding the city.

One of the places to visit near Potenza is the beautiful village of Guardia Perticara, the “village of stones”, where some scenes from Francesco Rosi’s “Christ Stopped at Eboli” were filmed. Here you can wander through the town’s alleyways and sample the local culinary delights such as the excellent ferricelli pasta with meat sauce.

Another stop on the tour around the city is Armento, an ancient village that is home not only to the magnificent church of San Vitale, but also to a large population of falcons.

North of Potenza, instead, is the beautiful Lagopesole Castle, chosen by Pier Paolo Pasolini to film a scene in “The Gospel According to Matthew”, and the Melfi Castle, considered one of the most important medieval castles in Italy.

These are just some of the places you can see in and around Potenza if you decide to rent a car for your holiday in Basilicata.