The medieval part of Irsina is a labyrinth of cobblestone roads winding and opening up into little squares with scenic views over the vast countryside. It is an agricultural town. Churches and fountains are familiar landmarks. The town boasts an important 13th-century cathedral which was partly rebuilt at the end of the 18th century. The remains of a Norman castle have since been incorporated into the crypt of the former monastery of San Francesco.

Around the more modern part of the village, cafés and shops painted in warm hues of beige, rose-petal and yellow snugly sit beside each other. The whole village is perched on a hill overlooking Italy’s grain plateau – in fact, the area produces a lot of the grain used to make pasta in the whole of Italy.

Irsina sits on the border between the regions of Apulia and Basilicata, with the Council of Materia. The population is about 5000 people, living in about 2000 households. The geography of the town is very simple. There is a medieval part with narrow cobbled streets and small squares. The new town is joined to the old by a main street which has now become the commercial focus, with small bars, a few restaurants, small shops, surrounded by much housing.

Once known as Montepeloso, Irsina sits on the top of a hill at around 550 metres (1,800 ft) above sea level and enjoys panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Ancient walls embrace the historical centre, the watch towers, the elegant buildings, the small churches, the narrow alleyways and the old gates to the town.

Irsina has been an area of settlement for many thousands of years. It became a fortified town in medieval times and has belonged to some of the most powerful families in Italy. Irsina's strategic position saw the struggle for dominance alternate between the Normans, Swabians, Angevins and Aragòns and consequently, was often destroyed and rebuilt in the process.

Irsina today is a pretty, magical and unspoilt village with a small community of English speaking residents, mostly from Britain, Ireland and Belgium who live there either full-time or enjoy holiday homes there. There is also a growing artist group encouraged by the art and Italian classes offered every summer in the Old Town. Irsina is just coming onto the tourist radar.

The village is one hour from Bari Airport (Ryanair), and hour and a half from Brindisi airport, (also Ryanair). It is one hour from the beach, and thirty minutes from Matera. The countryside is interspersed with rivers, lakes, fields, woods and archaeological ruins.

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Wikipedia