Matera: Hollywood, UNESCO, and spectacular food

An hour's drive from Alberobello, we couldn't miss Matera, in Basilicata. Once a "national shame" and now a European Capital of Culture, Matera is a captivating place unlike any other in the world, a star of Hollywood films several times, most recently with Daniel Craig as James Bond. Touring it means immersing yourself in a past steeped in history and tradition that resurfaces forcefully. We slept among the stones and explored far and wide: the caves, the rock churches, the food, the viewpoints...

Park in one of the paid parking lots outside the historic center. Many have agreements with hotels.