Stage 19, from Venosa to Palazzo San Gervasio is about 17 km long and it’s safe up to the join with Provincial Road Mulini-Matinelle, about 4 kilometers before the arrive. We are studying to ensure a safe walking also on this part.
Meanwile, we recommend an alternative route that avoids the provincial, busy and unsafe for the walker, following poorly trafficked local streets, reaching the end of the stagein less than 3 kilometers reaches
Starting from Venosa, one of the most beautiful old city in Italy, and, precisely from its Archaeological Park, rich in Roman vestiges.
Venosa Archaeological Park (MiBACT photo)
You follow the Provincial Road 18 Ofantina on the sidewalk, along the fence of the archaeological area, and then the church, until you reach an intersection (before the gas station); from here take the dirt road on your left in front of the number 4.
First part of the stage: from Venosa to the safe variant.
We go down into the valley, then proceeding uphill on a path, crossing a grove and having come out on a paved road (Via di Francesco Schena) that we will take to the right. After 300 meters you reach the variant of the Provincial Road 18.
Here too, take the right, cross (be careful) and take a dirt road to the left. Cross cultivated fields up to a T-junction, here turn right up and you can quickly reach a paved local road. It is then taken to the left. You cross a crossing (be careful) and continue straight. Further on this road narrows (when skirting a small industrial area) and the poorly used bottom often changes.
We are on the tratturo that connects Melfi to the Ionian Coast and that perpetuates the Via Appia Antica. On the right about 1.5 kilometers as the air is located the Paleolithic park of Notarchirico (which can be visited on request). On the right, parallel to our route, the Provincial Road Mulini-Matinelle flows clearly. After passing three houses of land reform, we arrive at a crossroads: continue straight ahead.
There are 6 other houses of the reform and the next three houses on an intersection, take to the right and after 800 meters you come out on the aforementioned Provincial Road Mulini-Matinelle. The original route continues on the provincial road to Palazzo San Gervasio for about 4 km in poor safety.
Original path in red. The route to be covered safely in green.
So we recommend to follow it very carefully, given the danger to pedestrians, only for 700 meters and then take to the right a road that arrive at a junction : immediately continue on the left.
You then pass under the arches of the railway bridge and take the first paved road on the left that runs parallel to the provincial road and ends after 1.2 kilometers on another paved road that we will walk on the right (via Puglia) and that goes up towards Palazzo San Gervasio arriving in the city center on Viale Europa.
TOURIST INFORMATION
To learn more about Venosa (the city, monuments, archaeological park, Paleolithic park, etc.):
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venosa
To learn more about Palazzo San Gervasio
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_San_Gervasio
Railways stations: Barile (PZ) 16,5 km from Venosa on Foggia – Potenza line; Spinazzola (BT) 10,6 km from Palazzo San Gervasio on Rocchetta Sant’Antonio – Gioia del Colle line
Bari Airport: 100 km from Venosa and 83 km from Palazzo San Gervasio
For a ride on the bird’s-eye stage see the video:
