Puglia Italy - MATERA: THE ANCIENT CAVE CITY
When I read about Matera, I instantly put it on the list of places I wanted to see when we were in Puglia.
It is a stunning ancient stone city known for its two historic Sassi districts with prehistoric cave dwellings and churches carved into limestone cliffs. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in human history, dating back to the Paleolithic period.
Exploring the city - We started our time in Matera with a Tuk Tuk tour. We love a good Tuk Tuk tour to get an overview of a new place so we can then decide what we want to go back and see. We met our guide in one of the main squares of Matera. He was pretty grouchy at first but softened as the tour went on. We stopped at all of the best viewpoints in Matera to get great photos and learn about the ancient city. Among other stops, were:
Piazza Duomo - Historic public square at the highest point of the city’s oldest district with panoramic views of the cave dwellings. It is dominated by the 13th century Matera Cathedral (Cattedrale di Maria Santissima della Bruna e Sant’Eustachio), with it’s beautiful 16-ray rose window.
Piazza San Pietro Caveoso – Square that sits on the edge of a deep canyon and home to the Church of San Pietro Caveoso. It has a beautiful view of the Murgia Park and the rock church of Santa Maria de Idris.
One of our last stops was for a tour of an ancient traditional cave house. Before the 1950s, the Sassi de Matera was the “shame of Italy.” It was known for its extreme poverty – and we learned / experienced a damp cave home where families lived with their livestock and no running water or electricity. The caves are no longer like this. After being abandoned for years, the Sassi was revitalized and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves have been turned into beautiful cave hotels, cave restaurants, galleries, shops, and living quarters for locals.
After our tuk tuk tour, we spent time wandering the beautiful old meandering cobbled streets and enjoying the city. The cobblestones are so well worn from so many years of use that they are VERY slippery! We were slipping around and it was completely dry out. I can’t imagine what it would be like with a little rain.
Where we ate - We stopped for drinks at a terrace restaurant with a beautiful view (Crialoss) and had some great pizza at a local pizza place (Piu Sud). And, since it is Italy, we also enjoyed some spritzes and gelato.
For dinner we went to one of the cave restaurants, La Lopa. Mike had the local orecchiette pasta in a traditional red meat sauce. I had a local dish called La Pignata, which was sheep meat slowly cooked in a pot with cured meats, vegetables, and potatoes, served in a terracotta bowl sealed with a bread crust. Both were very good!
We finished the meal with some fig and almond gelato.
Where we stayed - That night, we stayed in one of Matera’s beautiful cave hotels. I didn’t want to miss this unique experience!
We chose the Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita. It is a unique albergo diffuso (dispersed hotel). The property features 18 rooms and suites carved into the old stone caves. It overlooks the stunning Murgia National Park and ancient ravines on the edge of Matera’s historic center. Restoration of this property prioritized preservation over traditional luxury, so it features indigenous materials, minimal candle lighting, bare stone, and antique fabrics. It was just beautiful!
The breakfast / restaurant area was built in a rock-hewn 13th century church. The setting was gorgeous and the breakfast they served was amazing!
With the beautiful location, fantastic food, romantic and stunningly preserved cave rooms lit by candles, stand-alone bathtub… It was a fantastic experience that I’d do all over again! But one night was perfect. It was quite humid / damp in the cave rooms so not sure I would have wanted to be there longer.
Matera as a movie set – Through the years, Matera’s beautiful scenery has been a draw for many major films, with over 50 major feature films and many smaller ones filmed there. Some of these are The Passion for Christ (2004), No Time to Die (2021), Wonder Woman (2017), Ben Hur (2016), and The Gospel According to St Matthew (1964).
Summary - What an honor to get to spend time in this beautiful location! If you get a chance to visit Matera, DO IT!
Return to the Puglia overview blog: Puglia, Italy: What Dreams Are Made Of.
