Potenza is a symbol of Southern Italy, of its agricultural economy. It is not a very big city, and it is situated at 219 m above the sea level (the highest regional capital of Italy). The landscapes are wonderful, the air is rarefied, water is fresh and crystal-clear, and wind is really cold. There are many tectonic valleys, such as Noce, Mercuri and Baragiano: in the past they were Pleistocene lakes.

In its history Potenza has been hit many times by violent earthquakes, but the town has always found the strength to start again.

Visitors can appreciate the wonderful architecture of the town, made of hidden corners, portals, stairs, and narrow streets.

Leonardo Sinisgalli, a poet who was born in Potenza in 1908, describes his land and its soul writing: "Dormire a Potenza sopra i mille metri, con i piedi sulle montagne, con la testa nelle nuvole, una donna che ti fa compagnia, un bimbo che ti si aggrappa alle spalle…". He thus said that Potenza, a town having the feet on the mountains and the head among the clouds, was like a woman or a child who remain linked to the back of the visitor.