Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Approach Matera from virtually any direction and your first glimpse of its famous
sassi
is
sure to stay in your memory forever. Haunting and beautiful, the
sassi
sprawl below the
rim of a yawning ravine like a giant nativity scene. The old town is simply unique and
warrants at least a day of exploration and aimless wandering. Although many buildings
are crumbling and abandoned, others have been restored and transformed into cosy
abodes, restaurants and swish cave-hotels. On the cliff top, the new town is a lively place,
with its elegant churches,
palazzi
and especially the pedestrianised Piazza Vittorio Veneto.
MATERA IN…
One Day
Zip out to the
Belvedere
(
Click here
) for a photo-snap of the
sassi
(former cave dwellings) before any
heat haze sets in. Back in the
sassi,
approach Sasso Barisano via Via Fiorentini and wind your way
along to the monastic complex of
Madonna delle Virtù and San Nicola dei Greci
(
Click here
) with
its original frescoes. Then head for more frescoes in the rock churches of Sasso Caveoso,
Santa
Maria d'Idris
(
Click here
) and
Santa Lucia alle Malve
(
Click here
). Wander through the
sassi,
ima-
gining life in a cave, stopping to learn about Matera's fascinating system of underground cisterns at
La Raccolta delle Acque
(
Click here
)
.
Early evening, enjoy a
passeggiata
(evening stroll) in and
around lively Piazza Vittorio Veneto, followed by dinner at classic
Ristorante Il Cantuccio
(
Click
Two Days
On day two, allow a couple of hours to visit the
Cripta del Peccato Originale
, with its magnificent
frescoes. Then either spend the rest of the day hiking in the
gorge
or squeeze in a few museums in
town, including the
Museo Nazionale d'Arte Medievale e Moderna della Basilicata
, which show-
cases Carlo Levi's bold panorama of village life,
Lucania '61
. In the heart of Sasso Caveoso the
Casa-Grotta di Vico Solitario
(
Click here
) may sound a tad contrived but really
does
provide a vivid
picture of former living conditions here - both the picturesque and rudimentary aspects. For contem-
porary sculptures, visit the cave-set
Museo della Scultura Contemporanea
(
Click here
). Finish off
with dinner and sunset vistas in a cave at stylish
Baccanti
(
Click here
).
History
Matera is said to be one of the world's oldest towns, dating back to the Palaeolithic Age
and inhabited continuously for around 7000 years. The simple natural grottoes that dotted
the gorge were adapted to become homes, and an ingenious system of canals regulated the
flow of water and sewage. In the 8th century the caves became home to Benedictine and
Basilian monks; the earliest cave paintings date from this period.
