Matera

Plan one full day to visit Matera, an intriguing town of stark beauty (so extraordinary UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage site). As you approach Matera, you can’t help but wonder what is so special—it looks like quite an ordinary, modern city. But, continue on, following signs for “Sassi.” Upon arrival, park your car and go to the central plaza in the heart of the old city. From the plaza, steps lead down to a secreted town beneath, hugging the walls of a steep canyon laced by narrow alley-like lanes and ancient houses. These dwellings, called Sassi, have facades fronting cave-like homes. The scene is haunting with a jumble of monotone houses and churches clinging to, and blending with, the hillside. There is not a hint of color to liven the scene. Some scholars think that this site, which began thousands of years ago as cave homes, might well be the oldest inhabited place in Italy. The city had been almost totally abandoned by the mid-1900s, but it is being rediscovered and, as a result, art galleries, restaurants, shops, and a few places to spend the night are reappearing. Mel Gibson is responsible for some of the most recent interest in the town, since he filmed here for his movie, The Passion of the Christ. The only way to explore this ancient part of Matera is on foot (the tourist office provides maps with various suggested routes).