Sassi di Matera

Matera's Sassi are ancient districts of cave houses carved into the side of a ravine, inhabited for perhaps 9,000 years. Once a symbol of poverty, they were emptied in the 1950s and have been reborn with hotels, restaurants and museums in the caves. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was European Capital of Culture in 2019.

Explore the rock churches with their frescoes, a reconstructed cave house, and the viewpoints at sunset. Cross the ravine to the Murgia park for the view back over the town.