Post
CARDS
Matt Goulding
The story of Matera is a meandering tale of beauty and tragedy, death and rebirth: Once a vibrant but impoverished community of sixteen thousand souls living in an intricate system of caves, the Italian government forced the people of Matera to move to state housing in the 1950s, a move with deep socio-political ramifications. Today the abandoned caves are alive once again, and old residents have returned to usher in a new era of underground culture, making Matera one of Italy’s most magical destinations. Go now.
L’ABBONDANZA LUCANA
A beautiful introduction to the joys of Basilicata cooking, served up in a multitiered restaurant fashioned from old caves. Start with the antipasto sampler and move on to the list of handmade pastas.
CASEIFICIO BONTÀ DEL LATTE
Basilicata and nearby Puglia are two of Italy’s great cheese regions, so plan to eat your weight in buffalo mozzarella, burrata, and ricotta while here. Start at this excellent family cheese shop.
SOTTOZERO
A fine place for a beer and a bit of Basilicata-style street food, including the emblematic panzerotto, a golden pocket of dough stuffed with fresh mozzarella and fried in olive oil.
IL BELVEDERE
New cave hotels are opening up every month in Matera, but the stylish Belvedere has been doing it right for years, with big subterranean rooms and first-rate hospitality.