Nova Siri

Province: Matera · Region: Basilicata · Population: 6,596 · Postal code: 75020

Until 1872 the town was called Bollita: perhaps from the Latin boletum, for a hill shaped like the cap of a porcino mushroom, perhaps from springs that seem to boil. Then the council changed the name and picked one that looked much further back: Siris, the Greek city Strabo places in these parts.

Nova Siri comes in two pieces: the old town on its hill and the marina, grown since the seventies along the coast, with sand dunes and the pinewoods planted to hold back malaria. The family of Luigi Settembrini, the patriot and writer, came from here before moving to Naples in the early nineteenth century. There are 6,596 residents.

Tours, tickets and experiences

Experiences in Nova Siri

Bookable on GetYourGuide

🎉 Festivals and feasts in Nova Siri 1

Patron saint festival In 156 days

Saint Joseph and the Madonna della Sulla

📅 Every year, on 19 March

Nova Siri's patron is Saint Joseph, on 19 March; in spring, instead, the Madonna della Sulla comes down into town and returns to her sanctuary on the second Sunday of May.

🍝 The flavours of Nova Siri

Everything to eat in Nova Siri →

Bread and focaccia IGP

Pane di Matera durum wheat semolina bread, thick crust and yellow crumb

Durum wheat semolina, thick crust, shaped as a horn or a tall loaf: Pane di Matera has held Protected Geographical Indication status since 2008.

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What's around

Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.