The city of Matera, considered one of the oldest cities in the world, jealously preserves thousands years of history that are reflected in the findings of human settlements dating back to the Paleolithic and up to the present day. The “Sassi di Matera”, on the other hand, represent the 6th site in Italy in chronological order of antiquity, the first in the south.
Become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city in 2019 was elected as the European Capital of Culture, which has allowed it to host numerous fairs, events and exhibitions of internationally renowned artists. Matera is one of the most important rock centers in Europe, and retains a great heritage of culture and traditions, which can be found in the numerous museums and exhibitions that come to life in the heart of the city. Its winding streets and its enchanting alleys have also allowed it to attract the attention of some of the most successful Hollywood directors, who have chosen Matera as the ideal landscape for their films.
Matera has a particularly complex history which makes it particularly fascinating: from a border city of contrasts to a land of fusion of landscapes, civilizations, different cultures; from the rock civilization to the Byzantines, from the Normans to the Baroque age, every era has left its marks on this incredible city.
Born as a settlement in the Paleolithic, the “first men” soon saw in the tuff rock the possibility of creating caves that protected them from the elements.
The city of Matera is an immense open-air treasure of history, culture and food and wine traditions, which dazzle the thousands of tourists always ready to crowd its narrow streets and eat in the restaurants and bars of a city that looks like the scene of a Christmas nativity scene.
