WHY GO?
Rarely does a place render you speechless, but Matera, a time-worn stone city in the lesser-known Italian region of Basilicata, has the power to do just that. The honeycomb of cave houses, rock churches and cobbled streets carved chaotically into a rocky outcrop is otherworldly – and it deserves a spot on your travel bucket list.
FROM SHAME TO FAME
Named a UNESCO World Heritage site?