Walking Matera

Following on from last week's blog post, with another day trip by train from the city of Bari. This time, into the Basilicata region and the town of Matera. Unlike Alberobello (see previous blog), which is only a few centuries old, Matera is one of the oldest continuing human settlements on the planet, dating back to the Paleolithic 10th millennium BC.

Getting off the train from Bari, at first, it looks like a typical Southern Italian town, but then I rounded a corner and saw what everybody comes here for. A labyrinth of buildings, many of which are frontages for caves carved out of the limestone cliffs.

This was a great place to spend the day exploring the network of paths connecting the rock faces known as Sassi. While the administrative section of Matera on the Plateau is called Civita.

In next week's post, I head North to a very different location - Venice!

Cheers, Stuee