Matera: One of the Most Spectacular Cities in Italy.

Ciao beautiful people, hoping that you guys are doing well as I am. Honestly speaking, today Italy is under lockdown, AGAIN! However, I choose to look at the positive side and create more content so, today I decided to blog about my last years’ vacation in the beautiful city, South of Italy called MATERA.

We all know that 2020 was the worst year for the Millenials and Generation Z’s especially because we never knew being locked down nor World catastrophe! The only thing that could stop my travel lust was Wuhan Virus. However, the WILL to travel was strong, and I’m so glad I could travel amidst the Pandemia. Despite it all, I went on vacation with my family to the beautiful city Southern of Italy.

It’s one of those cities that I would like to go back to because I feel like I didn’t cover much grounds nor did I fully understand the tour guide who spoke Italian as I’m not perfectly fluent in it.

The city is nothing short of amazing. In Matera, you’ll spend a lot of time in caves. You will sleep, eat, drink an aperitivo in a cave, and even view modern sculptures in a cave. I know, how romantic, right?

FUN-FACT:

Like can you just fathom the idea that the streets in some parts of the Sassi often run on top of people’s houses/homes? Like as I was walking on the streets, someone underneath probably heard my footsteps, cursing in Italian “Cazzo” as she was preparing for her family some Pane di Matera that is exclusively made from semola di Grano Duro (durum wheat semolina) to eat together with Crapiata, some Primitivo Materano wine as they eat outdoors watching the marvels that surround them. WOW! It’s is hella cool. 

The ancient neighborhoods, known as Sassi (Italian for STONES), are a series of grottoes carved out of limestone. These grottoes wobble on the edge of a ravine, this ravine is known locally as “la Gravina.”

I couldn’t experience the cave adventure because I had to cover more grounds in the Region of Basilicata, so it’s on my wishlist to go back again and sleep in the caves at least.

Brief History of Matera, Italy.

Matera, is a city in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy and It is known all over the world for the historic Sassi districts, which make it one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.
As the capital of the province of Matera, its original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. Basically, Sassi di Matera is a complex of cave dwellings carved into the ancient river canyon.

The Sassi (ancient town).

Matera has gained international fame for its ancient town, the “Sassi di Matera”. The Sassi originated in a prehistoric troglodyte settlement, and these dwellings are thought to be among the first-ever human settlements in what is now Italy. The Sassi are habitations dug into the calcareous rock itself, which is characteristic of the Basilicata and Puglia regions. Many of them are really little more than small caverns, and in some parts of the Sassi a street lies on top of another group of dwellings. The ancient town grew up on one slope of the rocky “la Gravina.”

If you are more interested in the history of the place, Wikipedia has you sorted.

N/B: All CREDITS of this brief history to Wikipedia.

Some Famous movies shot in Matera.

Now here’s the fun part of Matera. Remember The Passion of the Christ?? Guess what, it was shot right here, yep, and many more. Some of the famous well-known Movies shot at Matera are:

1. The Passion of the Christ (2004) by Mel Gibson. I bet we’ve all watched it and if you didn’t, KINDLY DO because we are not going into 2021 this way especially now that we are locked down at home, 😂 😂 , you have no excuses.

2. No Time to Die (2021). A James Bond movie.

3. Wonder Woman (2017),

4. Quantum of Solace (2008). Also James Bond.

Hoping you enjoyed reading through and also I hope that I gave you even more reasons to visit Matera when you visit Italy and if you are already here, I hope that you make a plan to see Matera. In case you already went there please let me know what I should go back and see next time.

Lastly, I also did a short clip on My Youtube Channel of the same (see below), please support me in the channel by SUBSCRIBING, LIKING, COMMENTING (Positively) & SHARING as it would mean so much to me😘 😘.

Till the next blog, ciao a tutti and baci baci …