Ancient cave dwellings carved into a ravine
Matera's Sassi are districts of cave dwellings cut into the limestone of a steep ravine, inhabited for thousands of years. Once a symbol of poverty, they have been transformed into hotels, restaurants and museums, and are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Wander the stepped lanes of Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, visit rock-hewn churches with faded frescoes, and cross the gorge to the Murgia plateau for the classic view of the city lit at dusk.