La vita a Matera

I received a nice e-mail from my friend, who is a native of Matera. I think that's what triggered my memories of my visit to this wonderful town, home of i sassi (cave dwellings). I was here for only a short time (2 nights?) -- I came directly from Rome, a bus ride -- a 6 hour one, that took off later than I had anticipated. Anyway, after I finally arrived in Matera (almost midnight?), I took my luggage and walked to the hotel, because it was close enough to the bus depot... I had called the hotel and asked about taxi service, but the guy said "walk." (I'm sure for most Americans it would have been "far" -- well, not really... but after walking around and feeling kind of lost, and being in the bus for so long...) Well, I think I've gotten used to the Italian mindset after having traveled there so much, and just accepted it -- but there is still that American part of me that is superanal and needs things to be on time, etc.

But once I arrived in Matera, and realized how "homely" and relatively safe it was (tourism is its main source of industry, as it's a UNESCO Heritage Site), I felt pretty secure walking to the hotel late at night -- it's nothing like walking around the Termini area in Rome, or some sketchy areas of the city.

Anyway, there are several areas to the sassi in Matera -- the old (caveoso), the new (barisano), and the really old (civita, supposedly inhabited more than 4000 years ago) (but you can't explore the really old). While I was there, I had a walking guide -- his English was so-so, and I wondered if half the time what he told me was true (he was from Bari), I forget his name (I'm sure I could dig up the receipts)... but more than the stuff he said, he did know areas of Matera pretty well, and for me I guess the content of what he said doesn't matter as much (because I have forgotten it), it's the places he took me within those hours. I was able to cover a LOT more ground, and not get lost... Matera feels like a maze, especially with the sassi.

I thought this was beautiful, to find life among all these rocks.

Matera at night

San Pietro Caveoso

Sassi Hotel

Some of my favorite memories from Matera are wandering around the town... it gets really hot in the summer, because there aren't many places to catch a shade/ombra... most of the town escapes indoors -- think, this town is known for the cave dwellings and stone, so the pavement is HOT HOT HOT in the summer. It was extremely dry, and you see cats lazzzzzzzying around, and you want to desperately join them and pump up the A/C, or take a long lunch. It's really popular to take dinner and drinks in the sassi in the evening, but it doesn't start until late at night, when the evening has cooled (I didn't go because I was too pooped from all the walking around -- and I was usually doing laundry and showering and ready to sleeep).

One of my favorite sites was this church in Matera that had two distinct styles: St. Maria de Idris -- what I liked about this church is the Byzantine art, but it was different from the art I saw in Ravenna and in Venice.

I would suggest going to Matera... but in the Spring or Fall... when it's not so frickin' hot!

Matera Websites

http://www.sassidimatera.it/