Ok, here’s the question. Would you be attracted to a bar with an entrance like this?
La Farmacia dei Sani, as this wine bar is called, is a clever play on the Italian idea of pharmacy. In fact, their mission translates as something like “born with good idea to interpret everything like a pharmacy, to cure every symptom of appetite.”
The Maratea coast is quite beautiful, especially at sunset. It’s in Basilicata, a little slice of it that peeks into the Tyrrhenian sea. Americans don’t go there much, despite the tag line “the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian”. They prefer to cram into the Cinque Terre. Maratea is just another beautiful place in Italy.
This picture above was taken from the grounds of the Santavenere Hotel, right on the Maratea coast with, as you can see, great views. It’s the off season, so rooms are affordable, despite the luxury, and the folks running it are family, rather than a corporate conglomerate.
Just up the hill from the hotel and coastline are villages where everyone makes something good from the earth, the kinds of villages Italians like to visit because they can knock on random doors looking for the best regional salami or cheese—and they know they will find it.
Nearby, just above the little villages, is the small town of Maratea. Main street looks like this, all pretty in pastel:
Above that is the tip of the hill with, as anthropologists say frequently, “has religious significance.” And great views by the way.
So you can take a vertical itinerary and have it all. Just set your GPS to “UP”. You’ll find a ridge where fine cheeses are made and then you can head toward the top of the mountain where spectacular views and other attractions await.
In any case, I am extremely attracted to that little bar. You can get all the regional wines and things to eat that involve artisan cured meats (cold cuts to you) and cheeses. Don’t be intimidated. Belly up to the bar and ask the pharmacist what’s good for you—to eat and drink.
Lodging in Maratea
The map shows some lodging options in this bit of Basilicata by the sea.