Hotel Picchio Nero — Hotel in Terranova di Pollino

We stayed at this hotel for 5 nights to explore the beautiful area. We have been greeted with the warmest welcome we ever came across. Pino, owner and I dare to say, Masterchef, made our stay unforgettable. ||||The hotel itself is perfectly located for excursions into Pollino National park, which hosts rare species such as the Apennine wolf, wild cats and otters. Pino Loricato or Bosnian pine is considered a pre-historical botanical marvel and it's found only in this region (outside of its main range, the mountainous areas of the Balkans). The story is that seeds were carried over by winds. ||||The accommodation is comfortable and clean and if you are lucky enough to get a room with a balcony, the view is just fantastic. The attic rooms are not for tall people. ||||Food - well, we did not expect Michelin starred quality but Pino delivered exactly that and came up with the most amazing dishes and flavours (including truffle delights). Pino uses local ingredients and takes the time to explain the story behind the dish. Just excellent and superb. We left few pounds heavier though (that's the only "complaint" we could muster up between us). Tip - try the house wine, it's excellent. ||||Other things to do in the area: in addition to exploring the beautiful Pollino National park, it's worth visiting San Paolo and San Constantino Albanese Albanian villages established around 1534; Acquafreddo; Maratea - a beautiful costal town, the pre-historic Grotta del Romito etc. But ask Pino - he is an excellent advisor of the best places to visit. And comes October, truffle hunt is on. ||||Tips: you'll need a car to get around easily, but, do not rely entirely on GPS - there are hundreds of new roads not existent on any map or even GPS. If you miss an exit, you may end up driving 20-25 miles till you get the chance to turn around. Mountain roads (serpentines would be a better description) can be treacherous and be mindful of the things looking like a traffic cone - it means part of the road is gone on that side. Drive carefully and...

Our family travelled to Terranova di Pollino in order to see the land and trace some of the roots of our family, as my father's grandfather was born in Terranova.||||From the moment we stepped out of our car, we were extended the most incredible hospitality and help by the proprietor of the hotel, Mr. Pino Golia.||||His knowledge of the town and the region is remarkable. Mr. Golia telephoned a person in town with our surname, and to our astonishment, it turned out to be an entire branch our our family that we never knew existed!! This was made possible by the helpfulness of Mr. Golia.||||Finally, a comment has to be made about the remarkable cuisine prepared for us by Mr. Golia. It was phenomenal!!! My family has eaten in a plethora of ristorante during our trips to Italy, but nothing compared to the incredible meals that we had at the Picchio Nero.||||Highly...

I stayed here as part of a Ramblers walking tour and the location was very good for this. The hotel is situated on the edge of the village so easy to pop out for pic-nic food (fab bakers and greengrocers) and visiting local bars after a hike to watch the village life. The surrounding countryside is beautiful. I was impressed by the standard of the hotel for this price range in many aspects but the food deserves a special mention - well above average and very generous portions. The home cured meats and pasta sauces were sublime. ||We had a room with a large balcony overlooking the mountains - but we were lucky as some of the rooms do not. The furnishings are basic but perfectly adequate and the standard of cleanliness was fine. The only downside was the breakfast coffee which was not to the taste of any in our group. The coffee from the bar however...