The Vulture was a fiery, formidable volcano. It has a circumference of thirty miles; it lies thirty miles from the nearest shore of the Adriatic. It is bounded to the south by the River Atella, to the east by the River Rapolla, and to the west and north by the Ofanto. It encompasses Melfi, Rionero, Rapolla, Barile, Atella and many villages within its boundaries.
(Cesare Malpica, *Basilicata: Impressions*)
The Mount Vulture is situated to the north of Power, the regional capital, stands at an altitude of 1,326 metres to the north-north-east of the Santa Croce, Pierno, Caruso and Costa Squadra mountains, from which it is separated by the Fiumara di Atella, a tributary of the River Ofanto.
This is an isolated volcano, separate from the contemporary volcanic complexes volcanoes in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Although it is no longer active (it ceased activity around 130,000 years ago, followed by long periods of dormancy), secondary volcanic activity was nevertheless observed in modern times, up until 1820.
His The slopes are completely covered in dense, lush vegetation due to naturally fertile soil, which develops from volcanic rock.
Almost as if they were paintings, about halfway up and Surrounded by lush vegetation, the two lakes of Monticchio, which are typically volcanic which are found in the main crater.
The chestnut woods are of the highest quality, from which one can glean the Marroncino di Melfi PDO.
The area covers more than 1,500 hectares of Aglianico red grape variety which produces one of Italy’s finest red wines, home to around forty wineries that produce some two and a half million bottles a year.
On the slopes of Mount Vulture there are both numerous mineral water bottling plants and a number of towns and villages, including:
- Melfi
- Rapolla
- Barile
- Rionero in Vulture
- Ripacandida
- Atella.
