Pista di Go-Kart Don Paolo

At the foot of the Apennines, in Montalbano Jonico in the province of Matera in Basilicata, the Pista di Go-Kart Don Paolo runs an outdoor track on the Lucanian Ionian coast, on the border with Calabria. The site sits in a rural setting typical of Ionian Basilicata: argillaceous hills ('calanchi'), olive groves, citrus groves and the early heights rising towards the Pollino mountains. It is used by Matera locals for outings with friends and by holiday-makers staying in Metaponto and on the Ionian coast.

The outdoor track suits adult and experienced drivers, in the open setting typical of Ionian Basilicata (the site is sport-oriented and aimed at adult drivers). Several engine sizes are available, with higher-powered karts for regulars used to timed sessions. Conditions follow the Ionian Mediterranean climate: drier and faster in summer, more demanding on rainy autumn days or windy scirocco ones. The site hosts enthusiast sessions, motorsport-focused stag and hen groups and corporate events from the Lucanian-Apulian area.

Montalbano Jonico is one hour from Matera, thirty minutes from Metaponto and one hour from Taranto. The region offers plenty more to see: Matera and the Sassi (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture 2019), Metaponto and its Magna Graecia archaeological sites (the Tavole Palatine), the calanchi of Aliano (a lunar landscape), the beaches of Marina di Pisticci and Policoro, or a side trip to the Pollino National Park or Maratea on the Tyrrhenian coast. Karting in Montalbano Jonico is a sport option for Lucanian locals and Ionian coast holiday-makers looking for an inland motorsport break in authentic Basilicata.