Hiking the Path of the Seven Stones

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Castelmezano is a member of the I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy") association, and the grand views around the village certainly warrant that lofty claim.

In the morning, we woke at 7:30, showered, and dressed. We had to pack our clothes to prepare for the drive to Matera.

Before leaving Hotel Dolomiti, we took the elevator to the ground floor, where we had a buffet breakfast. The buffet included fine Italian deli meats,  cheeses, yogurt, and breakfast cereals. However, there were no scrambled eggs or other egg-based dishes. We ordered two cappuccinos and enjoyed them.

Before exploring Castelmezzano, we decided to check out of the hotel and store our bags in our rented Opel Corsa. Our car was parked a few blocks away, and we rolled our bags over there and put them in the trunk.

On the way there, we met two Israeli couples planning to hike the highly recommended (but challenging) Path of the Seven Stones from Castelmezzano to Pietrapertosa. We decided to tag along (usually a few steps behind), keeping a leisurely hiking pace. We originally intended to do something other than the hike, as we read that it was very steep and challenging. However, we decided to try it and turn around if we encountered any difficulties.

Initially, the hike went downhill, and some portions of the trail were very rocky, with many large steps. We traversed them carefully, as Inna was worried about injuring her ankle. We encountered many of the stones placed there. Some of the rocks had hidden speakers that told the story of the stones in Italian. Unfortunately, we could not understand the Italian stories told by the talking stones.

For about 2/3 of the hike, the trail ascended into Pietrapertosa. We had to make a few stops to rest. We saw some local goats and horses nearby, too. There were many scenic overlooks, and we took many photos of the beautiful countryside. 

Eventually, we walked into Pietrapertosa, completing the 1.75-mile hike with a 1,100 ft. elevation gain in 90 minutes.

We walked around the small village of Pietrapertosa, noticing the locals gathered around the Italian post office (probably waiting for the daily mail). We learned that there are no taxis in the village and buses are rare.

My Google Maps indicated a remarkable "HORUS" sculpture by Mauro Magni, and we found our way there.

We started worrying about returning to Castelmezzano, so we stopped by the Rosticceria da Anna for snacks and information. We purchased a few drinks and snacks and finished the lemon drinks right away (as we were thirsty).

We wanted to hike only partway back to Castelmezzano, as it would delay our drive to Matera and reduce the time we had to explore Castelmezzano further. In addition, we were worried that Inna's ankle might act up during the arduous ascent. We asked the shop owner if she knew of any way to get back to Castelmezzano, and she called a few local numbers and found us a private car for 30.00 euros. That was a great help!

A driver arrived in 15 minutes and quickly drove back to Castelmezzano. The drive back took about 25 minutes (even though the villages are very close, the path by car is quite long). We now had time to explore more of Castelmezzano. Walking around the town, I noticed we were approaching Norman Steps - the part of the village where the ancient Norman Castle was built. I suggested to Inna that we go there to explore the area.

Although it was primarily uphill, hiking to Norman Steps was relatively easy, and we quickly reached it. There were breathtaking views of Castelmezzano from the top of the steps. The actual Norman Steps to the Norman Castle were locked (and required a full rock-climbing belay setup, as the steps are old and slippery).

After resting on the benches and eating a snack, we returned to our car. We thought about eating lunch, but the few open restaurants still didn't have anything we wanted. We decided to eat lunch in Matera instead.

We stopped briefly at Hotel Dolomiti to use the restrooms before the long drive to Matera. We had a great time hiking in the picturesque village and enjoyed our time in Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa.

Castelmezzano Trip Report

Highlights

• Hiking the Path of the Seven Stones from Castelmezzano to Pietrapertosa
• Picturesque views of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa

Lowlights

• Finding transportation from Pietrapertosa back to Castelmezzano took a lot of work.
  
• The Volo dell'Angelo (Angel Flight), a high-speed zip line that crosses the valley between Castelmezzano and the neighboring town of Pietrapertosa, was closed for the season.