In times such as these, where sheltering in place is the norm, and socializing feels like a distant memory, it can feel like we’re living under a rock. There is something to be said for rock-dwelling however…
Just take Matera, Italy: a place where the cliffs and rocks of the surrounding landscape have been transformed into living quarters worthy of many a painting and photograph, and even deemed by Fodor’s travel guide as “one of the most unique landscapes in Europe”. Indeed, as the 1500 or so people living there can attest to, there is a unique charm to be found in homes carved from rock. Something which the many visitors who have travelled there – and marvelled in its beauty – can confirm.
Famed for its ‘sassi’, the two neighbourhoods of stone dwellings carved out of the caves and cliffs of the surrounding landscape, as well as the stunning vistas every which way you turn, Matera hasn’t always been hailed as a place of charm and beauty however.
Inhabited for centuries, the cave homes of Matera, located on the border of Basilicata and Puglia, in southern Italy, were by the early twentieth-century condemned by many and even proclaimed a national scandal. The poverty, squalor, overcrowding and malaria-ridden conditions found in the region were so bad that in the 1950s residents were eventually moved, by law, to modern buildings on the plateau above the cave-pocked cliffs.
Fast forward 30 odd years to the 1980s, and the abandoned caves of Matera found new life – not only as fascinating reminders of the past, but as renovated old cave homes, with well-to-do homebuyers re-inventing the dark, dank caves of yore. Then, in 1993 the town was made a UNESCO World Heritage site, for being “the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem”.
Ever since, Matera has become more and more popular as a bucket-list destination, with more and more old cave-houses being converted into quirky but comfortable modern homes, hotels, B&Bs and restaurants. (A reinvention no doubt sped up by virtue of Matera’s starring role in Mel Gibson’s divisive 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, with numerous shots showing the sassi and the gorge below.)
So amazing has been Matera’s transformation that it was named the European Capital of Culture for 2019… and even James Bond is rumoured to have made a visit in his latest escapade, to be released later this year.
Bond and other frivolities aside, there is much to be awestruck by in Matera, not least of which being its ‘chiese rupestri’, or rock churches. As well as those to be found in the city itself, be sure to head across the Gravina River to the Park of the Rock Churches, where you will find no less than 150 more carved into the cliffs. It’s certainly a sight to behold and more than validates Matera’s place as a Capital of Culture in any given year, in an official capacity or no.
If you have a really special photograph you would like to share with A Luxury Travel Blog‘s readers, please contact us.
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.
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6 Comments
What an inspiring reinvention of an important cultural site! Would love to visit one day after sailing the coastlines!
I’ve looked intro similar kinds of accommodation ad have found Turkey’s Cappadocia caves very similar to this. I’ve never heard of Matera’s caves though, so this is a pleasant surprise. This is a beautiful photograph. The people of Matera did a pretty good job in reinventing their old cave houses to adapt to our modern era. For sure travellers will flock and would want to see a glimpse of the past through these cave houses. I hope I can see them with my very own eyes. There are so many things I want to see now.
Interesting that you brought up Cappadocia. I was told to visit there last year when I was traveling around Eastern Europe before going to Turkey. I was told to go there because of the air balloons or that it was a romantic place to go with my girlfriend.
From national scandal, squalor and poverty, to a sight of beauty that captures the heart of tourists around the world, that’s quite the turnaround. Impressive photo, I like how it looks like a window to the community beyond. It’ll be interesting to see if it features in James Bond, that’ll add to its allure for Bond fans and movie buffs I’m sure, much like the Capital Of Culture title will have. I hope it keeps going on the up as a cultural site and place of beauty.
It probably goes without saying that a lot of people are waiting to travel to Italy again. I am one of them! I miss the wine, the scenery and the food. Going to the grocery stores, cooking a simple meal, drinking some Italian wine. And watching some of the television, hearing the language. I miss Italy more than anywhere else in the world.
Famed for its ‘sassi’, the two neighbourhoods of stone dwellings carved out of the caves and cliffs of the surrounding landscape, as well as the stunning vistas every which way you turn, Matera hasn’t always been hailed as a place of charm and beauty however.
Inhabited for centuries, the cave homes of Matera, located on the border of Basilicata and Puglia, in southern Italy, were by the early twentieth-century condemned by many and even proclaimed a national scandal. The poverty, squalor, overcrowding and malaria-ridden conditions found in the region were so bad that in the 1950s residents were eventually moved, by law, to modern buildings on the plateau above the cave-pocked cliffs.
Fast forward 30 odd years to the 1980s, and the abandoned caves of Matera found new life – not only as fascinating reminders of the past, but as renovated old cave homes, with well-to-do homebuyers re-inventing the dark, dank caves of yore. Then, in 1993 the town was made a UNESCO World Heritage site, for being “the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem”.
Ever since, Matera has become more and more popular as a bucket-list destination, with more and more old cave-houses being converted into quirky but comfortable modern homes, hotels, B&Bs and restaurants. (A reinvention no doubt sped up by virtue of Matera’s starring role in Mel Gibson’s divisive 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, with numerous shots showing the sassi and the gorge below.)
So amazing has been Matera’s transformation that it was named the European Capital of Culture for 2019… and even James Bond is rumoured to have made a visit in his latest escapade, to be released later this year.
Bond and other frivolities aside, there is much to be awestruck by in Matera, not least of which being its ‘chiese rupestri’, or rock churches. As well as those to be found in the city itself, be sure to head across the Gravina River to the Park of the Rock Churches, where you will find no less than 150 more carved into the cliffs. It’s certainly a sight to behold and more than validates Matera’s place as a Capital of Culture in any given year, in an official capacity or no.
If you have a really special photograph you would like to share with A Luxury Travel Blog‘s readers, please contact us.
Famed for its ‘sassi’, the two neighbourhoods of stone dwellings carved out of the caves and cliffs of the surrounding landscape, as well as the stunning vistas every which way you turn, Matera hasn’t always been hailed as a place of charm and beauty however.
Inhabited for centuries, the cave homes of Matera, located on the border of Basilicata and Puglia, in southern Italy, were by the early twentieth-century condemned by many and even proclaimed a national scandal. The poverty, squalor, overcrowding and malaria-ridden conditions found in the region were so bad that in the 1950s residents were eventually moved, by law, to modern buildings on the plateau above the cave-pocked cliffs.
Fast forward 30 odd years to the 1980s, and the abandoned caves of Matera found new life – not only as fascinating reminders of the past, but as renovated old cave homes, with well-to-do homebuyers re-inventing the dark, dank caves of yore. Then, in 1993 the town was made a UNESCO World Heritage site, for being “the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem”.
Ever since, Matera has become more and more popular as a bucket-list destination, with more and more old cave-houses being converted into quirky but comfortable modern homes, hotels, B&Bs and restaurants. (A reinvention no doubt sped up by virtue of Matera’s starring role in Mel Gibson’s divisive 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, with numerous shots showing the sassi and the gorge below.)
So amazing has been Matera’s transformation that it was named the European Capital of Culture for 2019… and even James Bond is rumoured to have made a visit in his latest escapade, to be released later this year.
Bond and other frivolities aside, there is much to be awestruck by in Matera, not least of which being its ‘chiese rupestri’, or rock churches. As well as those to be found in the city itself, be sure to head across the Gravina River to the Park of the Rock Churches, where you will find no less than 150 more carved into the cliffs. It’s certainly a sight to behold and more than validates Matera’s place as a Capital of Culture in any given year, in an official capacity or no.
If you have a really special photograph you would like to share with A Luxury Travel Blog‘s readers, please contact us.
What an inspiring reinvention of an important cultural site! Would love to visit one day after sailing the coastlines!
I’ve visited Matera once and can attest to how beautiful it is. The photograph is wonderful and does this truly unique place justice.
I’ve looked intro similar kinds of accommodation ad have found Turkey’s Cappadocia caves very similar to this. I’ve never heard of Matera’s caves though, so this is a pleasant surprise. This is a beautiful photograph. The people of Matera did a pretty good job in reinventing their old cave houses to adapt to our modern era. For sure travellers will flock and would want to see a glimpse of the past through these cave houses. I hope I can see them with my very own eyes. There are so many things I want to see now.
Interesting that you brought up Cappadocia. I was told to visit there last year when I was traveling around Eastern Europe before going to Turkey. I was told to go there because of the air balloons or that it was a romantic place to go with my girlfriend.
From national scandal, squalor and poverty, to a sight of beauty that captures the heart of tourists around the world, that’s quite the turnaround. Impressive photo, I like how it looks like a window to the community beyond. It’ll be interesting to see if it features in James Bond, that’ll add to its allure for Bond fans and movie buffs I’m sure, much like the Capital Of Culture title will have. I hope it keeps going on the up as a cultural site and place of beauty.
It probably goes without saying that a lot of people are waiting to travel to Italy again. I am one of them! I miss the wine, the scenery and the food. Going to the grocery stores, cooking a simple meal, drinking some Italian wine. And watching some of the television, hearing the language. I miss Italy more than anywhere else in the world.