Nestled in the farthest reaches of Italy’s southernmost region, where the sun-drenched hills of Basilicata meet the windswept plains of Puglia, lies a place that feels like you've stepped back in time 300 years – a labyrinth of stone, history, and forgotten whispers: Matera. Once a forgotten city, where people were forced to leave due to the poor living conditions, it was lost in the folds of time and now it has risen from its ancient roots to become one of Europe’s most enchanting destinations.
Caves revitalized
To visit Matera is to step into a world where time seems to stand still. Its streets are carved from the very limestone that has shaped its existence for millennia. The city’s history is as old as civilization itself. Some historians consider Materia to be the third oldest city in the world. Imagine this: thousands of years ago, ancient humans carved their homes into the very rock, creating cave dwellings (called sassi) and continued to live there up to this day, making it one of the longest continuously inhabited settlements in the world. It’s hard to believe that Matera was once a place of poverty and abandonment when you see it now—resplendent with charm and grandeur.
The sassi—the stone dwellings—still stand in perfect silence, like time capsules preserving a bygone era. These homes were hollowed out of the soft tufa rock, with ceilings that were once carved by hand into the natural contours of the earth. Once these were home to a small family, from grandparents to grandkids and even the family donkey living in these caves, they are now mostly hotels with only about 1500 people still living there. Sant'Angelo Resorts is one of the best hotels in Matera to offer cave dwellings as rooms that have had to upgrade to the level of modern luxury travelers nowadays expect while keeping the charm from hundreds of years ago.
There’s something eerily beautiful about Matera’s architecture—its hollowed-out caves and cliffside houses, stacked like tiers of an ancient amphitheater, all softened by the warm golden glow of the setting sun.
Matera’s Revival spurred by James Bond?
For centuries, Matera was ignored, a place of poverty and neglect. After World War II, the government declared it a “national disgrace,” and thousands of inhabitants were relocated to a new town due to the lack of plumbing and inhabitable conditions.. The caves, once home to entire families, became deserted, and the city fell into obscurity.
In the early 2000s, Matera began to stir from its deep slumber, slowly becoming a beacon for those seeking something beyond the typical tourist destination. The city’s preservation efforts were recognized, and by 2019, Matera was named a European Capital of Culture and transformed into a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then Matera was put on the public map by the one person that showcased this city better than anyone: James Bond. Daniel Craig's last installment of James Bond in the title film No Time to Die, which was released in 2021, and if you didn't know about Matera before, you certainly did now.
Matera's two sides
All articles you'll find on Matera Italy (including this one up to now) talk mainly about the caves of the old city, and how it has been transformed into the popular tourist destination it is now. But don't get confused, there is a more "modern" side to this city as well. While the Stassi caves are carved into the side of the cliff facing the ravine, there is a completely different side of Matera up the hill. It took me off guard originally as we drove into the city. We had to park out of the old city and a golf cart came to pick us up. Only cars allowed into old Matera are those that are servicing the many hotels and restaurants. On top of the hill you will find more modern buildings, shops, bars, and restaurants.
What makes Matera so captivating is not just its history, but the way it evokes a sense of timelessness. It’s a city that invites you to lose yourself—to wander through its stone streets, peer into the cave dwellings, and imagine what life was like for those who lived here before. There is a quiet magic in the air, a sense of ancient stories woven into the fabric of the city.
Whether you are exploring the sassi by foot, enjoying the views of the Murgia Park across the ravine, or savoring a plate of orecchiette pasta with a glass of local wine, Matera has a way of making you feel like you’ve discovered a secret part of the world that’s always been waiting for you.
So, what are you waiting for? Come experience Matera—the city of stone, the city of history, the city that whispers to you in the language of time. It’s a journey you’ll never forget.
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