First settled in the 8th century BC, Pietrapertosa is a beautiful hill town in Basilicata, Italy. 

It sits nestled against the mountains with many homes featuring the bare rock as part of their structure. If you look closely, you can see the natural arch that is at the top of the mountain. There is also a small castle at the top of the mountain, but it is hidden from this viewpoint. From the castle you have amazing views over the valley and the nearby town of Castelmezzano. 

When I visited in April, I think I was the only tourist there. I wandered all over the town and even hiked the old Roman path over to Castelmezzano and back. The towns were both quiet, sleepy places, but it was fun to explore them and enjoy the surrounding views. 

The first morning I arrived, I started the day here…perched on a wall overlooking the town. As the sun rose behind the mountain, the clouds started to glow and Pietrapertosa greeted me with an amazing sunrise.