Magical Matera
The bucket list places in Italy are typically Rome, Florence and Venice - but Matera is truly every bit as amazing.
This place holds a special spot in my heart. I booked it, after reading about it in a random thread on the internet and saw it was in my general direction of travel. I am so glad I did. It's like nothing I've ever seen.
Where is Matera
Matera is in the region of Basilicata in Italy, which is near the heel of the boot. It's quite close to Puglia, so if you're heading in that direction on your holiday - do yourself a favour and spend a night or two in Matera.
How long should I stay?
I'd say one or two nights maximum will give you a chance to walk around, see the town and enjoy some meals in some of the 'sassi' (caves). It's a pretty small town, so it's easy enough to walk around and see a lot in a day.
Stay in a Cave Hotel
We stayed in the heart of the sassi in Matera, at the Conche Luxury Retreat. I splurged, as I really wanted this experience - and I would absolutely say it was worth the extra cash. We were literally in a cave hotel, which also somehow felt luxurious. It was right in the centre of town and the staff went above and beyond and we were so helpful. I can't recommend it enough.
What to do in Matera
This is one place where you don't need to plan too much, just soak it all in when you get there. I would suggest a walking tour, so you can learn a little bit about the history of Matera, which is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It's not always been such a popular tourist destination. It came from very poor origins, so it's interesting to learn how it's transformed over time.
I would also do a bit of research on food options. Booking a lunch or dinner in advance at a cave restaurant, will ensure you get the full experience - and again, just soak it all up. I remember having dinner at Trattoria Del Caveoso - this is just one example of a beautiful place, with incredible food.
Otherwise, we also ended up driving to a look out just outside of the town. It was amazing to see the city perched up above the gully, basically carved into the hillside. I can't stress enough just how unique and mind-boggling this city is.
Getting there
There are multiple ways you can go about this, depending on your trip. You can hire a car (but parking will be a bit more difficult as a lot of the old town is ZTL). Or you can catch a bus or train (but only from certain locations).
For example, we mixed it up a little. My husband and I caught a bus to Matera from Salerno, which dropped us just outside the old town (we then had to walk the 15 minutes through town with our heavy luggage to get to the hotel). Then when we were leaving, we caught a taxi to the nearby car rental and drove to Puglia.
It's a great spot to break up your drive if you're coming from somewhere like the Amalfi Coast and you're on your way to Puglia. Because there are so many options, I'd advise you use the website Rome2Rio to workshop how to get there.