CHEERS TO MATERA

Nothing you’ve ever seen before could quite match up to Matera. History, culture and nature merge here, in this truly spectacular cave town, almost entirely carved out of rock. The unparalleled scenery and mystical atmosphere of this remote corner of Basilicata (situated between the toe and the heel on the map) make Matera a not-to-be-missed destination on your discovery journey of the south.

Matera’s origins are lost in the mists of time. You may well be standing in one of the world’s most ancient human settlements that can claim to have been inhabited continuously since the Neolithic age. The myriad natural caves in tufa limestone attracted the city’s first dwellers around 7,000 years ago. Over the centuries settlers gradually burrowed deeper and extended these grottoes, thus forging an intricate maze of tunnels, cisterns and living spaces which were occupied until as recently as the mid-20th century.

The dismal poverty and underdevelopment of the area meant that by the end of World War II entire families were still living in these prehistoric caves alongside their livestock, ravaged by malaria, without the basic elements of sanitation, electricity or ventilation. In the 1950s the government stepped in to settle the problem of these unacceptable living conditions, then referred to as “the shame of Italy”. The ancient warren was evacuated and its 16,000 cave dwellers, mostly peasants and farmers, were relocated to modern housing projects nearby. Sixty years ago Matera was well known as a national embarrassment but today the city has regained dignity and is back in the limelight with a positive spin. Those very same caves, now recovered and converted into craft shops, boutique hotels, restaurants, bars and spas, were not only declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 but also earned Matera its prestigious title as Europe’s 2019 Capital of Culture.

Your guide will meet you at your accommodation and lead you on a tour of the city’s unique tangle of caves, through its labyrinth of narrow alleys, up and down steps, past stone courtyards, enabling you to experience Matera in all its cavernous allure. The city’s main attractions are the awe-inspiring Sassi, a multi-level cluster of 1,500 natural and man-made grottoes hewn out of the rock, creating a honeycomb on the flanks of a steep ravine and used as dwellings and churches. As your guide will explain, to fully understand how people used to live inside these caves, you should definitely take a peek inside a Casa Grotta, a tiny museum that recreates the setting of a typical cave dwelling. Furnished with period fittings and tools, these homes are faithful reconstructions of Sassi before they were abandoned in the 1950s and offer a fascinating, though rather disturbing glimpse into the struggles and deprivations faced by yesteryear’s peasant families. Entire households used to share one room with their chickens and mules, all members of the family slept on one bed, ate around one small table from the same plate and collected rain water in cisterns, since there was no running water and no toilet.

However, the most striking feature of Matera is its rupestrian holy retreats. Some 150 churches, hermitages and sanctuaries, built into the rugged hillsides, attest to Matera’s role as the favourite refuge of Benedictine and Byzantine monastic communities in the Middle Ages. With their architectural virtuosity and remarkable wall paintings, these Christian temples are also evidence of the cultural fervour that animated Matera and the extraordinary artistic heights achieved by local craftsmen between the 8th and 14th centuries. You will have time to visit two of the following three churches: San Pietro Barisano, Matera’s largest rupestrian church, Santa Lucia alle Malve with its 13th century mural paintings and Santa Maria de Idris, in its unique location, perched atop the rocky spur of Monterrone.

Your guide will enrich your tour with intriguing anecdotes and riveting stories about past and present Matera, providing a stirring overview of human history from the very earliest settlers to the cave dwellers of modern times.

After some free time for lunch your private chauffeur will pick you up and drive you to a nearby estate, located five kilometres south of Matera and immersed in the splendid scenery of the Murgia Materana Park. As early as the 15th century, attracted by the beauty of the site and grasping the potential of its limestone terroir, the Angevins chose this place to plant their vines which would produce wine for the French court in Naples. The property later came into possession of the wine-enthusiastic Basilian monks who introduced the Primitivo grape variety in the second half of the 1700s. Since 2007 the estate has been run by a dedicated, forward-thinking husband-and-wife team whose efforts are contributing to the region’s oenological Renaissance. Respect for tradition and the territory combined with modern wine making techniques and commitment to high quality are at the core of this winery’s activities and values. Five hectares of vineyards are cultivated with native and international varieties of Primitivo, Cabernet and Merlot, hand harvested and expertly turned into a limited selection of wines: two full-bodied reds and a delicate rosé. Top off your day with a guided tasting and a toast… cheers to Matera!

Your chauffeur will drive you back to your accommodation in the afternoon.