Matera: a gem worth travelling for

Region: Basilicata

Population: About 60,000

Claims to fame: One of the oldest inhabited cities in the world with archaeological remnants dating back as far as 8,000 years, its Sassi cave dwellings are a UNESCO World Heritage site and Mel Gibson filmed The Passion of The Christ here.

Pros: Stunning natural surroundings descending into a deep ravine. Town is European Capital of Culture in 2019 and set to host many events.

Cons: It is hard to reach with public transport, the train to Bari from Rome takes about four hours and then you have to change to a rickety local train which takes another 1-1/2 hours.

My experience

I had not really heard about Matera until I noticed it was on the not-to-be-missed list of one of my Italy travel guides. I did not know what to expect, I thought it might be just another old and pretty town. When I told Italian colleagues and friends I planned to visit, some turned their noses up and wondered why on earth I was heading there.

I am glad I went through with the trip though because my experience was truly magical. I visited in December, and I arrived in the late afternoon when the sun was starting to set. As darkness fell on the town and lights came on in the streets, it looked like a real-life setting of the nativity scenes or presepi that were being set up in churches across the country.

I checked into my room, which was actually a cave. I wanted to experience what it was like for the inhabitants of the Sassi (stones)– the cave dwellings in the ancient heart of Matera. People used to live in these until the Italian government forcefully rehoused them in the 1950s due to health concerns linked to lack of running water and electricity, poor hygiene and disease outbreaks. During the night I spent in the cave in the Sasso Barisano district, it took me a while to get to sleep but once I had drifted off I slept very deeply under the ground.

On my first evening, I walked around the centre of town, exploring some old and beautiful churches. My favourite was San Giovanni Battista, which dated back to about 1230 and had an impressively decorated entrance.

I woke up early the next day so that I could take some panoramic shots in the morning light. I was lucky- it was a perfect crisp blue morning.

I then met my guide, a former Sassi dweller, and we began our tour. We firstly walked past a flight of steps in the town which he said actor and producer Mel Gibson had used for scenes in his movie “The Passion of The Christ”.

We then started to explore the Sasso Caveoso area to the south side of the old town, and spent the day going in and out of caves. It was interesting to learn how the dwellings developed thousands of years ago, and how the locals cleverly designed them so that light reaches in even to the back. Here’s an example of how naturally well-lit the caves are:

My guide explained that for a while Matera had been considered an embarrassment for Italy due to the poverty of many living here and the need to rehouse them. Italian writer Carlo Levi, while living in exile nearby Matera in the 1930s during Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime, had portrayed the squalor and misery of the area in his book Christ stopped at Eboli and Italian Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi had described the town as a national shame after visiting in 1950.

But the guide said this was only one side of the story because the people who had led this cave-dwelling life were proud of their warm and community-based culture, and many of their food and cultural traditions. He showed me caves where local shepherds and farmers slept and ate, where wine, bread and other food were produced, and where animals were kept, and he described the friendly and outdoors- based culture of the sassi. Meanwhile we could look back on the town and the deep ravine or “gravina” below us.

After this we walked towards some of the Rupestrian (cave) churches built into the rocks. On the way we passed lovely cottages and more sweeping views.

We visited the cave church of Santa Maria de Idris and the crypt of San Giovanni, where we saw frescoes dating back as far as the twelfth century.

I would highly recommend a visit to Matera, even though it takes a long time to reach. While you are there you can also try out some local staple dishes such as Cialledda Fredda, which I was introduced to by a friend from Matera. This is a summery rustic salad based on the area’s traditional bread, accompanied by tomatoes, red onion, oregano and olives.

With the city crowned as European Capital of Culture in 2019, it will be an ideal time to visit and support its regeneration. For the programme of events see here.