Basilicata: Matera

If you start researching about Matera you'll for sure stumble upon the fact that the city changed from being considered the shame of Italy to UNESCO capital of culture in 2019. Have a look at my experience in this amazingly beautiful city.    

Matera, Basilicata's jewel, may be the third-longest continuously inhabited human settlement in the world. (Source)

Accomodation

I love staying as in the center as affordable possible and so in Matera I found a very nice apartment in the center center. That in the center that you can't reach it by car. Which has it's downsides, but i absolutely loved the place and our hosts. We found the place on booking, "I Sassi Di Teopista". You can get to it via this link.  

The city by night 

We arrived late in the evening somewhere around 11 PM after we dropped our luggage at the apartment, I went out through the city to get a look around. It's hard to say if during the day is more beautiful than during the night, as I loved both versions. 

Sassi di Matera

The city center of Matera is flanked by the hillside Sassi, a peasant neighborhood that boasts an incredible assemblage of cave houses. They are considered the longest-occupied cave dwellings in the Earth's history, inhabited since prehistoric times right up until today. (Source)

Belvedere

"For a great photograph of the sassi, take the Taranto-Laterza road (SS7) and follow signs for the chiese rupestri. This road takes you to the Belvedere" (Source) . There are not that many people coming up here so we stayed for a while photo shooting :P

We also had to eat 

The city by day

And after lunch it was a must to walk a bit around to lose some of the calories ;) 

Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso

And at the end of the tour right after Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso a view over the Gravina river which's canyon we saw also from the Belvedere. 

Montescaglioso

From Matera on the way to Bari we stopped in Montescaglioso (we had some friends there :) ) and so we took advantage to see the Abbazia benedettina di San Michele Arcangelo. 

As we were already there I also took the chance to get some pictures from around the square. It's quite nice so if you are in the area it will be a nice detour.