Matera

Matera was pretty amazing in the dark, but in the daylight it was absolutely stunning. Tho old houses along the cliff face are being restored and we are staying in a hotel right in the heart of this area. We are surrounded by cobbled streets with narrow lanes and steps leading throughout the old part of the city. 

As the locals move back into the traditional houses that they left in the 1950/1960s, to live in the apartments built by the Government, they are slowly restoring the magic of the traditional dwellings.

This morning we woke to the sound of church bells (there are churches everywhere) and the chatter of the locals going about their Sunday morning routines - fantastic. We had a ‘no car’ day today and walked throughout the city, so plenty of exercise. Unfortunately it was really cold, only about 13 degrees which wasn’t pleasant.

We walked down into the gorge, that forms the cliff face that the old city was built on. Heaps of wild flowers and herbs growing along the sides of the path and we saw a local who had gathered a bundle of wild asparagus. We decided that trying to cross the river probably wasn’t a good idea, though David did manage to climb up to the opposite ridge to get a view of the city across the valley.

Visited three of the old churches, with evidence of the frescoes still clear in some places. Like the houses, the churches were carved into the rock and have curved ceilings and earth floors. The first two where pretty interesting - Santa Lucia Alle Malve and Santa Maria De Ldris San Giovanni in Monterrone. In the third church, San Pietro Barisano, we were able to go down into the caverns below the church where they used to ‘store’ the bodies of the priests until they were decomposed! Can’t even begin to imagine what that smelt like.

Matera is an amazing place to visit though it is already starting to become overwhelmed with tourists. It was great to be able to visit as such places have the potential to become a bit ‘tacky’. 

We had our last meal here at the same restaurant as last night - delicious pizza and lemon sorbet for dessert.

Tonight we are feeling a long way from home as we just received the news that Geoff, David’s cousin passed away. He fought an amazing fight - rest peacefully.

Built into the cliff face

Oldest part of town

Outside our hotel room - ready to be renovated...