Potenza is a city and commune in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata formerly known as Lucania and it is the capital of the province of Potenza and the Basilicata region. The city is the highest regional capital and one of the highest provincial capitals in Italy, overlooking the valley of the Basento river in the Apennine Mountains of Lucania, east of Salerno. Its territory is bounded by the comuni of Anzi, Avigliano, Brindisi Montagna, Picerno, Pietragalla, Pignola,Ruoti, Tito, and Vaglio Basilicata.
Places of interest to visit are: The Duomo (Cathedral) of San Gerardo, renovated in the 18th century which still houses the rose window and the apse from the original 12th-century structure; The Church of San Francesco, founded in 1274; The portal and the bell tower date from the 15th century; the church houses the De Grasis sepulchre and a Madonna in Byzantine style (13th century); the Torre Guevara, the last remnant of the old castle which is now used to stage art exhibitions; The Palazzo Loffredo, a 17th-century noble residence and is now the seat of the "Dinu Adamesteanu" National Archaeological Museum; Three gates of the old city walls, now demolished which are the gates are the Porta S.Giovanni, the Porta S.Luca and the Porta S. Gerardo; The Romanesque church of San Michele (11th-12th centuries); The Church of Santa Maria del Sepolcro and the ruins of a Roman villa in the Poggio Tre Galli quarter.
Getting around Potenza
Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia; it has also a connection to Altamura, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company. The city's main station, which was originally named Potenza Inferiore, is now known as Potenza Centrale.
The nearest airports are:
Salerno-Pontecagnano QSR 85 km (53 mi)
Foggia-Gino Linosa FOG 101 km (63 mi)
Bari-Palese BRI 130 km (81 mi)