Matera, Italy: A Hidden Gem
Matera, Italy
Matera is otherworldly. The Sassi - the old cave neighbourhoods - have been continuously inhabited for 9000 years. It went from being called Italy's national shame in the 50s to a UNESCO site and European Capital of Culture. Two days is enough, but they'll be unforgettable.
Day by Day
Day 1
- Morning.
- Arrive, walk down into the Sassi Caveoso.
- Afternoon.
- Casa Grotta museum, then lunch at a cave restaurant.
- Evening.
- Sunset from the Belvedere across the gravina, then dinner back in the Sassi.
Day 2
- Morning.
- Cross the canyon on foot to the rock churches on the other side.
- Afternoon.
- Lunch back in town, coffee in the main piazza.
- Evening.
- Last dinner under candlelight at one of the cave restaurants.
Where to Stay
- Budget. Le Monacelle - simple, in the Sassi.
- Mid-range. Locanda di San Martino - cave hotel with thermal baths.
- Splurge. Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita - the most atmospheric hotel in Italy, full stop.
Where to Eat
Trattoria Lucana
Real Lucanian food, family run, no English menu and thats fine.
Il Cantuccio
Cave dining done properly.
Vicolo Cieco
Modern Italian in a beautiful setting.
One local tip nobody tells you
Wear proper shoes. The Sassi are all stone steps and slopes, and they get slippery when wet. This is not a heels city.
Gallery
More Escapes Like This
Train Trip to Ljubljana
Small, green, walkable. Slovenia's capital feels more like a town and that's the whole charm.
Romantic Escape to Sintra
Misty hills, fairytale palaces, and the kind of mornings that don't feel real.
Hidden Gem: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Older than Rome, cheaper than anywhere, and almost no one outside Bulgaria has heard of it.