Matera is located in a remote corner of southern Italy in the small region Basilicata. It’s not the easiest place to reach which is why it has managed to remain relatively unknown, especially to foreign tourists.
“The Sassi are houses dug into the calcarenitic rock itself, many of these “houses” are really only caverns, and the streets in some parts of the Sassi often are located on the rooftops of other houses. The ancient town grew in height on one slope of the ravine created by a river that is now a small stream.”
A walk through Matera’s narrow, winding streets in the historic center will transport visitors back into a past long-forgotten.
Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in the same houses of their ancestors of 9,000 years ago.
Matera is on UNESCO World Heritage list. Aside from Petra, Jordan, Matera is the oldest continuously-inhabited settlement in history. Matera is where The Passion of the Christ was filmed
need to Know
- Fly Rome to Bari and then take bus or rent auto
- Five hour drive from Rome
- Enjoy walking and stairs
- Book hotel before arrival
To learn more about Matera: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/670
The Carltons Series 