The Gravina of Ginosa from below, from above and also from the sky
Leaving Ginosa towards Laterza, you walk for a short distance in the center of the bottom of the narrow gravina; on the right there is first the town, then a small amphitheater where the Passio Christi is staged at Easter, followed by the Rivolta district with old cave-houses; on the other side there is the Casale district, the screaming face and then the path leading up, along which it is possible to enter a couple of rupestrian churches (Santa Barbara and Santa Sofia) with Byzantine-era frescoes. Having reached the top of the slope, Ginosa and the gravina can be seen from a new and broad perspective, but it won’t be the last from which I’ll admire this landscape.
After less than half an hour I arrive in a field where a wind sock makes me realize I’m in the middle of a landing/takeoff strip. I ask for information and discover I’m at the Campo Volo Natile attached to the Allegra Fattoria delle Murge and decide to seize the opportunity: I make arrangements with the owner, Pietro, who gets down from a tractor to pull out his two-seat “autogiro” from the hangar. He puts a helmet on me, starts the engine, and after a moment we’re flying over the gravina; we pass over Ginosa, flying over fields and olive groves until the gravina of Laterza.
All in all about twenty minutes of adrenaline on board this aircraft, for a fair price. An experience both welcome and unexpected, because I didn’t know of the existence of the landing strip. To those arriving from Laterza I would recommend stopping at the Allegra Fattoria delle Murge not only for the possibility of flying but also for a meal – given that the meal time could be just right.
Around Laterza
The stage is short, only 16 km, so it can be comfortably covered in 4 hours (optional flight excluded!).
There is therefore time to see what Laterza can offer: the Mater Domini sanctuary with its attached crypt (with unique coin-operated lighting), the MuMa museum of majolica pottery (2 € – a single exhibition space) and a pleasant chat with Liliana, the stage coordinator who manages the B&B Iris where I stay (and where I found the best breakfast of the entire journey).
For dinner, once again I choose grilled meat from the Macelleria Rizzi (23€ drinks included, excellent quality).
