Defined as the “heart” of southern Italy, it is also known as Lucania. It faces both the Tirreno sea and the Ionian Sea and it’s history is rich in periods of glory and important events which have influenced, and are part of the living history of Italy. It is a place that offers visitors enchanting nature, marine and mountainous attractions that are of stricking beauty and secret fascination. It has two provinces and being mostly mountainous, the Southern Appenines extend to here, the little villages of the province are almost all situated on top of the mountains. The other main towns, apart from the provincial capitals of Potenza and Matera, are Melfi, Pisticci and Policoro. It borders to the north with Puglia, to the west with Campania, to the south with Calabria and to the south west it's bathed by the Tyrrhenian Sea and to the south east by the Ionian Sea.