Hotel DUE PINI

"ME FABULOSAE VOLTURE IN APULO ALTRICIS EXTRA LIMEN APULIAE LUDO FATIGATUMQUE SOMMO FRONDE NOVA PUERUM PALUMBES TEXERE, MIRUM QUOD FORET OMNIBUS, QUICUMQUE CELSAE NIDUM CHERONTIAE SALTUSQUE BANTINOS ET ARVUM PINGUE TENENT HUMILIS FORENTI. UT TUTO AB ATRIS CORPORE VIPERIS DORMIREM ET URSIS. UT PREMERER SACRA LAUROQUE CONLATAQUE MYRTO. NON SINE DIS ANIMOSUS INFANS."

Horace III. 4

Also Horace, Roman poet of the I century A.D. wrote about Vulture.
Vulture is one of the most ancient volcanos of the Southern Apennines. Nowadays the two craters look as two lakes. This is one of the most attractive places of Lucania an it appears to be the most favourite destination of many tourists. Also Frederick II used to go hunting with his hawk in these forests. As from 1971 the area has been declared wildlife reserve to keep the ideal habitat for Brahmea Europea which is a night butterfly.

The two Monticchio lakes, at 600 m. above the sea level, are surrounded by beech, chestnut, alder, ash, maple and lime woods.

The waters are full of tenches, carps and eels.

The Abbey San Michele, founded by the Benedectines before the year 1000 A.D. around a cave of the XI century overlooks the lakes.

Between the two lakes you find the ruins of Sant'Ippolito's church dating back to the XI and XII century, founded by the Benedectines.
The whole area is rich in mineral waters having digestive properties.