A TRIP TO MATERA
As soon as we pulled into Matera, the city of the caves, I knew we were in a magical place.
Matera, a dense complex of caves and caverns, is located atop a rocky ravine.
The labyrinthine buildings are all of a uniform stone, closely nestled together, mostly built centuries ago. There are many stairs throughout, and the streets are all cobblestone, so the car couldn’t even take us to the hotel because it is too intricate a city with narrow streets and steep hills. It is a town for walking. I was in awe and filled with wonder and excitement, and I couldn’t wait to explore.
Despite its history of poverty and subsequent abandonment, interest in the city returned in the 1980’s.
There was a film showing of the James Bond movie No Time to Die when we were there, this is where the first scene in the film takes place and we got to see the red carpet full of celebrities and a brand new Aston Martin for the media event. In my opinion, it is one Kardashian visit away from no longer being a lesser known secret.
The caves, lining the ravine of the city as if from a fairytale, are the perfect backdrop for memorable photos. At sunset tourists gather on rooftops for the view of a lifetime. There is greenery, architecture, blue sky–it is pure perfection.
It’s easy to understand why a trip to Matera is in so many movies.
We stayed at Il Palazotto, inside a cave, naturally.
The hotel is also a winery, and bottles line the lobby. As an avid wine drinker and sommelier level 1, I immediately signed up for the wine tasting. There we made friends with people who had tasted wine from all over the world–from Argentina to France–making them a fun and educated bunch! Sadly we could only take six bottles with us (because of airline baggage weight limits).
The town center of Matera smelled of focaccia and espresso.
We learned that it is only in the evening that pizza ovens are heated, because it is such a small town. One of the greatest discoveries I had in Matera was the pane arabo, a pizza sandwich. When I was a little girl my mom used to make me “pizza sandwiches,” which were basically grilled cheese with marinara. The pane arabo took that idea to the whole next level, with pizza dough sandwiching local cuts of meat and cheeses with fresh lettuce and tomato. It is quite possible that sandwich changed my life.
We visited an art gallery and made friends with the manager. He taught us about the latest exhibit and even walked us over to the church to point out elements of the design. Even though my Italian isn’t very good, he was patient and helpful. He grew up in Matera, so interacting with a local who was so passionate about his hometown was a more intimate look at the architecture.
Walking up and down the steps in the city I got lost on the cobblestone paths. It reminded me of being in Venice, where I had no idea where I was but I didn’t mind at all and was enjoying every step. When traveling, the point is not just to go somewhere, but to be there.
I cannot choose a favorite place in Italy because it would be like choosing a favorite child. Nonetheless a trip to Matera is definitely toward the top of the list.
