Matera is built along the edge of a deep ravine, with the Sassi di Matera cascading down the hillside in layers of stone, steps, and narrow paths that rarely run in straight lines.
The Sassi—literally “stones”—are the city’s ancient districts, made up of cave dwellings, churches, and passageways carved directly into the rock and expanded over centuries. What looks like a cluster of buildings from afar is, up close, a network of homes built into, on top of, and alongside one another, often sharing walls, ceilings, and even floors.
From above, it’s striking—a dense cluster of pale stone. Up close, you begin to see the details: doorways cut into rock, staircases leading nowhere obvious, and entire rooms hollowed out of the hillside. Some of these spaces date back thousands of years, making this one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world.
Rainy Walk
We arrived in Matera on the perfect day. The next day, the rain arrived. Grabbing an umbrella from the hotel lobby, we headed out for a formal tour of the city. Without context, it’s easy to get lost here—not just physically, but historically. The Sassi aren’t just old; they’ve been continuously adapted, abandoned, and revived over time.
We visited Basilica Cattedrale di Matera, completed in 1290 and set high above the Sassi. From the outside, it feels like a point of order in an otherwise irregular landscape. Inside, the space is ornate and structured, feeling like a point of order above the maze below.
From there, we wove our way down to the rock church of Santa Maria de Idris, carved directly into the stone and blending almost seamlessly into the landscape. Inside, the space was atmospheric—cool, dim, and quiet, with traces of frescoes still visible on the walls.
Night Moves
That night we moved from the hotel we’d stayed in with the group to a home tucked down in the lower Sassi di Matera. As I settled in, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching me from the bathroom window. I got closer and found a curious cat staring back.
By morning, it had turned into two—both tucked just outside the kitchen window, as if they’d decided we were worth keeping an eye on.
On the Road Again
Road trips in Italy require at least one stop at an Autogrill for coffee—and occasionally something more substantial.
Rome in a Day (and a half)
We arrived in Rome and stayed near the Colosseum. Venturing out, we quickly learned one of the metro lines was down, which turned a simple outing into a longer walk back than expected. A bit worn down from the previous days—and from Rome itself—we did the unthinkable and booked two tours. Both by golf cart.
The first took us along the Appian Way and into the catacombs. I don’t like catacombs, but here we are. The second was a loop around the hills of Rome. Plenty of views, less explanation—but at that point, the views were enough.
What followed was a bit of a blur: the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Appian Way, and the Vatican City. You can decide which is which.
Churches in Rome
We also slipped into a few churches along the way. Here is San Giacomo in Augusta.
At Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, people lined up to take photos using a mirror to capture the illusionistic ceiling above. I just pointed my camera up—no need to wait.
And in Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, just off Piazza del Popolo, we found the Caravaggios—three paintings tucked into a side chapel. The cluster of people hovering nearby made them easy to find.
More Cats
After a whirlwind day and a half in Rome, we made it back to our home in Tavira. Slept soundly and woke to two cats staring at us as if we were strangers.
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