Basilicata continues to surprise with its hidden treasures, and Sasso di Castalda is one of these. Small town in the province of Potenza, surrounded by mountains and woods, received the orange flag of the Italian Touring Club for its authentic charm and the quality of the reception. But the village does not live only in history and traditions: here there is one of the most adrenaline experiences in Southern Italy, the bridge to the Moon, a unique Tibetan bridge that attracts visitors from all over Europe.
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The beginning of the adventure: Ponte Petracca
The route begins in the stone alleys of the historic center, where time seems to have stopped. After a few minutes on foot you arrive at the first taste of adrenaline: the Petracca bridge. 95 meters long and suspended at 30 meters high, it is the entrance door to an experience that grows in intensity step by step. From the bridge you access a slope rich in geological formations, which looks at what will come after.
The impact of the bridge to the moon
After the small votive chapel of the Madonna delle Grazie, in less than ten minutes you arrive at the entrance of the Bridge to the Luna.
Here we change register: 300 meters of walk suspended 102 meters from the ground, on 770 metal steps anchored with steel cables. It is considered the Tibetan bridge with axes of axes and a more spectacular free span in the world, and it is not an exaggeration. Each step is a concentrate of adrenaline, but also an opportunity to look at the landscape from a point of view impossible from the ground: the Lucanian mountains open up aside and the village of Sasso di Castalda remains behind a small nativity scene.
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A terrace suspended on the void
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The arrival is no less scenographic. We arrive at the ruin of the medieval castle that dominates the town, where the Sky-Walk in glass is located: a suspended terrace that forces to stop and create the challenge just completed. From here you can enjoy a spectacular view, enriched by the Belvedere with rotating binoculars, which gives a 360 degree panorama on the surrounding mountains.
The descent, through comfortable stone stairs, brings to the church of San Nicola, recently restored, and traces back to the heart of the village. In total, the experience of the two bridges lasts about an hour, once well spent between adrenaline, nature and historical views.
Security and equipment
The path is not any walk. It is built with steel ropes and metal steps, and the crossing is allowed only with compulsory safety equipment: harness, long and carabiner. Recommended clothing is sporty, with trekking or gymnastics shoes. Physical fatigue is not extreme, but a minimum of agility and absence of dizziness is needed to fully enjoy it.
Timetables and costs
The Moon bridge will officially reopen in September 2025, with openings on weekends. Two available time slots:
Reservations are not necessary: just buy the ticket in Piazza del Popolo and wait for your turn.
Rates:
Parking and public services are located in Piazza Rocco Petrone, 300 meters from the ticket office.
The spiritual side: the trassati path
Not only adrenaline: Sasso di Castalda is also a point of reference for those who love nature and spirituality. From here starts the only trash path of Basilicata, a ring of about 23 km that reaches the Airy Mount, also known for the ski resorts in winter. The track follows the ancient paths used by the inhabitants of the town to work in the fields, collect wood or graze the flocks. It is a path that combines memory, nature and faith, dedicated to San Pier Giorgio Frassati, the “Saint of young people”.
An experience that remains
The bridge to the moon is not a simple suspended bridge: it is an experience that marks. It doesn’t matter if you are an expert hiker or a curious tourist, crossing him means facing a challenge with themselves and discovering Basilicata from an unpublished point of view. A mix of adrenaline, landscape and local culture that makes Sasso di Castalda a stop not to be missed.
Basilicata is not only Matera, Maratea and postcard villages: it is also pure adrenaline. The bridge to the moon is the demonstration that tourism is lived here with the heart that beats strong and the eyes wide open on the panorama.
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