Basilicata

Like its neighbour Calabria, the 'instep of Italy' has suffered from earthquakes that destroyed the once-mighty Greek cities of the Ionian Coast; striking Matera with its cave dwellings is the prime destination for visitors, and home of the unusual pane di Matera. The region produces a wide range of sausages such as lucanica; you may even find some of the more rarefied dishes such as lampascioni.

The name means 'imperial' (basilikos) and dates from the 6th century AD Byzantine conquest of the region, but its ancient Greek and Roman name, Lucania is still very common, and is the accepted adjective for the region, ie Lucano or Lucana