A walking tour in the Sassi of Matera to discover the most secret corners with the most beautiful view of the town.
Matera is a unique town in Southern Italy, 60 miles South of Bari. Never known till few years ago, or simply known in Italy as "the shame of Italy", as it was named after the World War II, because of the condition of life of 15,000 inhabitants living in poor caves with no sewer and no water system. At the end of 80ies people started to discover the archeological and historical importance of the site. In 1993 Matera, together with the Park of Rock Churches, was declared World Heritage of UNESCO as being one of the most extended rupestrian area in the world. But the notoriety of the "city of caves", as it is commonly named, arrived with a famous movie production: The Passion by Mel Gibson.
The area, surronded by deep and blazed ravines, recalls the holy land and biblical places, in general, so that Matera has been used many times as the location of such kind of movies.
"Sassi" districts offer to the traveller breathtaking views, because of their uniqueness. Pierced of thousand of cave houses, rock churches, wine cellars, water tanks...Sassi represent one of the oldest evidence of human life on earth.
We will get lost in the labyrinth of paths, caves, small squares, hidden churches, oil mills,... to find traces of the rural culture still alive until a few years ago. We will also see the dominating district around the Cathedral Square, surronded by noble and somptuous palaces.
In 2014 Matera was nominated European Capital of Culture
for 2019. A nice revenge for a place that was commonly known for its poorness and backwardness
This excursion has no reviews yet. You may add your own review for excursions you have taken.
global.reservation
Matera, The Hidden Town
Sassi pictures