Italy is a beautiful country with each province very different from the next, and every region boasts its own identity and culture. While holidaymakers typically flock to the Amalfi Coast, cities such as Florence or Rome, or lakes like Garda and Como, there is a lesser-known spot that has left visitors speechless with delight.
From National Disgrace to Posh Getaway
Once famous for being the 'shame of Italy,' Matera, a city perched on a rocky outcrop in the southern Basilicata region, is now a luxurious tourist getaway. A collection of ancient cave dwellings carved into the mountainside in an area called Sassi offers a peaceful inland holiday steeped in history.
The cave dwellings were evacuated by the Italian government in the 1950s, branded as slums with poor living conditions at the time. Thousands of residents were relocated to modern housing, and then-Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi described Matera as a 'national disgrace.'
It is likely that not all locals wanted to leave their Matera homes, but the area was deemed a health hazard due to a lack of sewage systems and electricity, and it was plagued by poverty. One former resident recalled living conditions as 'brutal,' with 'families of maybe nine or 10 children, sleeping next to mules and pigs.' Luigi Plasmati, aged 89, remembered his family's life there: 'We were dying of hunger.'
A Remarkable Transformation
Today, things have dramatically turned around. Several Airbnb cave-style accommodations are described as 'exceptional' by visitors. Sassi di Matera covers two districts, with the city of Matera situated on a mountaintop.
One TripAdvisor review by a guest staying in Pietragialla, which overlooks the city, described their cave stay as an 'incredible experience.' The reviewer wrote: 'I am speechless for how good we felt. It was an incredible experience and everything was unbelievable. The room is fantastic. The bathroom is the best bathroom I've ever been and the bath tub is from another planet. But the most incredible thing is the silence.'
The visitor went on to describe 'pure sleep' due to the peacefulness and darkness, as the cave has 'no windows.' Breakfast was prepared the previous night so guests 'can have it at any time,' including fresh fruit, juices, marmalades, fresh local bread, almonds, and almond milk. The reviewer added: 'Once you leave the room you have in front of you the whole city centre, it looks like a fairy tale. Pietragialla is an experience that needs to be done once in life at least.'
Cultural and Historical Riches
The Sassi district boasts museums such as the Cave House in the Sassi of Matera, which shows visitors what peasant life was like just a few decades ago. There are also rock churches dating back to the 13th century, with St. Lucia alle Malve described as the 'most beautiful' for its ancient mosaics.
