Today, it’s one of the most astonishing places in Italy – a city carved into a rugged hillside – but just a few years ago, Matera was branded a national disgrace. Many residents still remember when ...

Fifty years after Italy's Matera was a national embarrassment because of its extreme poverty, the city is rescuing its dignity, baroque palaces and cave churches to become a European Capital of ...

The stone walls of Matera do not whisper history—they press it into the air. The scent of damp limestone still clings to cave ceilings carved thousands of years ago, while narrow passages funnel light ...

‘In the Sassi, you are never finished,” says Domenico Marsicano of his home in Southern Italy. Sassi, or “stones” in Italian, refers to the ancient quarter of Matera, a city in the Basilicata region ...

You may well have a sense of déjà-vu when you enter Matera, a place that seems at once both truly exotic, oddly familiar and a little eerie. Spread over a valley in Basilicata, the town is stark, ...

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. There are few destinations that have hosted both Jesus and James Bond. With its arid landscape and ...

Daniel Craig sprinted across the Sassi, motorbikes weaving past him. I smiled at the memory of the opening chase of "No Time to Die," as I stood in Matera, Italy, against the backdrop of sun-warmed ...

This incredible city has been described as one of Italy's most authentic and miles away from the chaotic crowds. Italy is home to some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, but one "timeless" city is ...

An underrated city in Europe is not only among the best places to visit, it is also one of the oldest in the world. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT We use your sign-up to provide content in ways ...

Fifty years after Italy's Matera was a national embarrassment because of its extreme poverty, the city is rescuing its dignity, baroque palaces and cave churches to become a European Capital of ...