In Basilicata, southern Italy, visitors might take a detour to visit a unique medieval ghost town that has been abandoned for 40 years. The uninhabited city is called Craco and belongs to the province of Matera. Craco is located 25 miles from the Gulf of Taranto and was constructed at the top of a 1,300-foot-high cliff that overlooks the Cavone River Valley.
Because of its stark, angular shape, it stands out from the surrounding landscape which has a gentle undulating appearance. The nearby hills were once sown with wheat but are now arid and have come to be known as the calanchi, which translates as the badlands. The city was placed at the top of a cliff overlooking the surrounding countryside as a defensive measure.
