Matera: The Mediterranean's Best-Preserved Cave City

📍 Why Visit? Matera, a 9,000-year-old cave city in Italy’s Basilicata region, is one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements. Famous as a filming location for James Bond: No Time to Die, its limestone cliffs honeycombed with ancient dwellings earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. 🚌 How to Get There From Bari (Closest Major City) 1️⃣ By Bus (Cheapest & Fastest) From Bari Airport: Direct bus (1h, ~€5) – stop is left of arrivals. From Bari City: Buy tickets at tobacco shops near the bus station (1h, ~€5). 2️⃣ By Train (Scenic but Slower) Take the FAL private rail (€6 one-way, 1.5h total): Bari Centrale → Altamura (1h11m) → Transfer to Matera (30m). Tip: Trains run hourly; check schedules for return trips! 🏰 Top Attractions 1️⃣ Sassi di Matera Explore cave houses-turned-hotels/museums where locals lived until the 1950s. Don’t miss Casa Grotta (a furnished cave home frozen in time). 2️⃣ Matera Cathedral (Cattedrale di Matera) A 13th-century Romanesque masterpiece with panoramic city views. 3️⃣ Church of Santa Maria de Idris A rock-hewn chapel with medieval frescoes—best visited in soft morning light. 📸 Photography Tips: Sunrise: Capture the southern Sassi’s golden glow. Sunset: Shoot the northern cliffs and cathedral. #Matera #ItalyOffTheBeatenPath #AncientWonders #SlowTravel