A view of the Sassi di Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Paul Jebara. It’s hard to believe that a little more than 50 years ago, Matera was the “shame of Italy,” its cave ...

Sassi di Matera, which teeters on the edge of a steep ravine in Italy's south, dates back 9,000 years and is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited cave city in the world.

In the remote southern Italian region of Basilicata is the unique and ancient cave-city of Matera, famous for its sassi, stone houses carved out of the caves and cliffs.

Inhabited for millennia, Sassi di Matera was abandoned in the 1950s. Today, it straddles the past and the present. Nipa Charagi. Published 19 Oct 2019, 10:25 AM IST.

We came for the caves. We stayed for the candles. You might already know the Sassi di Matera. Despite (or because of?) this architectural wonder’s remoteness in the instep of Italy’s boot ...

Today, Matera is a small, lively city with a university, and the sassi are a growing tourist attraction -- a must-see on any tour of Puglia. (Matera, historically part of Puglia and now just over ...

Travelers need to hike from Sassi di Matera, heading downhill first only to head straight back up, but the bountiful views are worth the sweat spent on the journey. Take a tour with an expert.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, Matera is located in the Basilicata region of Italy, perched above the Gravina ravine.Famed throughout the region for its "Sassi di Matera" or 'stones of ...

Once known for their squalid living conditions, the prehistoric limestone warrens have been repurposed as lodgings, bars, and artist workshops. Would staying there feel extraordinary or tasteless?