Matera (Basilicata) Green travel guide
1. Best things to do in Matera
A sort of northern mountain town, Matera is the city of the “Sassi” (Sasso "Caveoso" and the Sasso "Barisano" are two neighborhoods World Heritage Site since 1993, existing from 1204).
Matera and his charming aspect, leaving people without words... a city out of time. It manteined its history and shape so you can enjoy an harmonious and real integration, a real eco-friendly mood, because territory has not been violated by man.
A unique and green habitat. An ancient city full of philosophical myths: the one of the cave that overlooks the confusion of alleys, a lot of stairs, stalactites and stone; the immanence of the condition of man, put to the test from the immanence of stone; the game of space-time, which is lost in the cities’ shadows, in a meridian of original spirituality.
Matera was chosen by Mel Gibson to provide the backdrop of his movie “The Passion of the Christ”
The plasticity of silhouettes gave inspiration to artists and sculptors; the “Sassi” (literally: “stones”) are are in the middle of the city; they preserved from the Palaeolithic to nowadays.
This beautiful shapes seem to tell us that men can exploit nature without damage it.
2. Taste and local food
Typical products are a lot, but we can not forget the bread.
The symbol of the city is a highly digestible food and strictly km0.
A bread you can eat fresh and soft after a few days.
If you are in the nearby of Caveoso, you have to stop at the restaurant "I due sassi".
Food is traditional and ancient: virgin olive oil, dairy products and meat from local production, from beef to lamb; valuable products such as grass peas, legumes exceptional, served with porcini mushrooms and homemade pasta.
Matera has a lot in common with Puglia, let’s try “orecchiette” with tomato sauce or vegetables.
Do not miss figs and their delicious jam, that can be done when the fig are well ripened.
Taste the mushroom “cardoncello with ricotta, lemons and olive oil, and, last but not least, the pastries with honey!
3. The Lucan Dolomites and the surroundings
Matera end with its Sassi? No, not at all.
Landscapes have a great variety and they can accompany you to discover the province.
Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano towering green, open up the view to Lucano Apennines.
They call them Lucan Dolomites.
Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano are in fact two mountain villages that you can discover through the famous Angel Flight, a steel cable suspended between Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano. There you can let you slide down the cliff, overlooking the mountains, to discover the charm of high altitude as a real winged men.
You can also try to discover the green of the mountains and the colors of “Dolomiti Lucane” by foot.
You can reach Pietrapertosa following the path of the seven stones. Tiring but fulfilling.
Another site worth visiting is Cracow, the ghost town.
A lunar landscape with ivory studded dunes. The gullies Lucan.
“Ghost town” because of the many landslides that have led to a collapse irrepressible, so you can smell a ghostly mood, from the rubble of the Cathedral to the solitude of the unexplored corners.
4. Nature, sport and green itineraries
Biking you can reach Montescaglioso, on a hill that borders the river Bradano and then move to Lucania Dolomite, through Grottole and Tricarico.
By bike you can reach Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa transforming emotions into incessant cycling movements.
On foot you can walk the path of salt, from Matera to Montescaglioso. You will discover "the way" used to market the salt from Metaponto to Matera and then reached Montescaglioso. The route starts from Matera, passes Gravina; among olive churches and crypts and brings you to the City of Montescaglioso, with its Norman churches and convents.
5. Where to stay in the city and surrounding
Discover all eco-friendly accommodations in the province of Matera, organic farms surrounded by nature, or eco B&B set in white ancient villages on the Lucan dolomities.
Discover all eco-friendly accommodations in Matera
by Angela Sebastianelli
Cover photo by Alessandro Rizzo via flickr
