7Matera, Italy
Matera looks almost unreal. Instead of being built simply on top of the landscape, much of the historic city appears to emerge directly from the rock.
Its famous Sassi districts contain cave dwellings, churches, stairways and stone houses layered across the hillsides. Some of these ancient spaces have been transformed into restaurants and atmospheric hotels.
Walking through Matera at sunset is particularly memorable, when the warm color of the stone changes with the fading light.
It is one of the most unusual urban landscapes in Italy and a perfect destination for travelers who want something beyond the country’s famous Renaissance cities.
