Salento

The Penisola Salentina, better known simply as Salento, is hot, dry and remote, retaining a flavour of its Greek past. It stretches across Italy's heel from Brindisi to Taranto and down to Santa Maria di Leuca. Here the lush greenery of Valle d'Itria gives way to flat, ochre-coloured fields hazy with wildflowers in spring, and endless olive groves.

Lecce

Pop 95,000

If Puglia were a movie, Lecce would be cast in the starring role. Bequeathed with a generous stash of baroque buildings by its 17th-century architects, the city has a completeness and homogeneity that other southern Italian metropolises lack. Indeed, so distinctive is Lecce’s architecture that it has acquired its own moniker, barocco leccese (Lecce baroque), an expressive and hugely decorative incarnation of the genre replete with gargoyles, asparagus columns and cavorting gremlins. Swooning 18th-century traveller Thomas Ashe thought it 'the most beautiful city in Italy', but the less-impressed Marchese Grimaldi said the facade of Basilica di Santa Croce made him think a lunatic was having a nightmare.

Either way, it's a lively, graceful but relaxed university town with some upmarket boutiques, decent Pugliese restaurants, and a strong tradition for papier-mâché making. Both the Adriatic and Ionian Seas are within easy access and it's a great base from which to explore the Salento.

1Sights

Lecce has more than 40 churches and at least as many palazzi, all built or renovated between the 17th and 18th centuries, giving the city an extraordinary cohesion. Two of the main proponents of barocco leccese (the craziest, most lavish decoration imaginable) were brothers Antonio and Giuseppe Zimbalo, who both had a hand in the fantastical Basilica di Santa Croce.

icon-top-choiceoBasilica di Santa CroceBASILICA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 19 57; Via Umberto I; icon-hoursgifh9am-noon & 5-8pm)icon-freeF

It seems that hallucinating stonemasons have been at work on the basilica. Sheep, dodos, cherubs and beasties writhe across the facade, a swirling magnificent allegorical feast. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, a team of artists under Giuseppe Zimbalo laboured to work the building up to this pitch. The interior is more conventionally baroque, and deserves a look, once you've drained your camera batteries outside. Spare a thought for the expelled Jewish families whose land the basilica was built on.

Zimbalo also left his mark in the former Convento dei Celestini, just north of the basilica, which is now the Palazzo del Governo ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via Umberto I), the local government headquarters. Look for his profile on the facade of the basilica.

Piazza del DuomoPIAZZA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

Piazza del Duomo is a baroque feast, the city's focal point and a sudden open space amid the surrounding enclosed lanes. During times of invasion the inhabitants of Lecce would barricade themselves in the square, which has conveniently narrow entrances. Lecce's 12th-century cathedral, episcopal palace and museum of sacred art ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 47 64; http://museo.diocesilecce.org; Piazza del Duomo 5; €4; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-12.30pm & 4-7pm Mon-Fri) face one another in silent dignity across the square.

CathedralCATHEDRAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 30 85 57; Piazza del Duomo; crypt €1; icon-hoursgifh7am-noon & 4-6.30pm)

Giuseppe Zimbalo's 1659 reconstruction of Lecce's original 12th-century cathedral is recognised as being among his finest work. Zimbalo, Lecce's famous 17th-century architect, was also responsible for the thrusting, ­tiered bell tower, 72m high. The cathedral is unusual in that it has two facades, one on the western end and the other, more ornate, facing the piazza. It’s framed by the 17th-century Palazzo Vescovile (Episcopal Palace) and the 18th-century Seminario, designed by Giuseppe Cino.

Palazzo VescovilePALACE

(Episcopal Palace; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza del Duomo)

Facing Lecce's cathedral is the arched arcade loggia of the 15th-century Palazzo Vescovile, one-time residence of Neapolitan royalty and one of Lecce's baroque masterpieces.

icon-top-choiceoMuseo FaggianoMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 30 05 28; www.museofaggiano.it; Via Grandi 56/58; €3; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-8pm)

Descend through Lecce's rich historical strata in this fascinating home-turned-museum, where sewerage excavations led to the chance discovery of an archaeological treasure trove. The deepest finds take you all the way back to the Messapii culture of the 5th century BC; you then ascend through Roman crypts, medieval walls, Jewish insigna and Knights Templar symbols in the rooftop tower.

Castello di Carlo VCASTLE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 65 17; www.castellocarlov.it; Via XXV Luglio; adult/reduced/child 6-12yr €3/2/1; icon-hoursgifh9am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, from 9.30am Sat & Sun, closes later in summer)

While the Normans built the original castle in the 12th century, it became associated with the Spanish Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who enlarged it extensively in the 16th century. Bound within enormous trapezoidal walls cornered with stout bastions, it is Puglia's largest castle, and has been used as a prison, court, military barracks and now the headquarters of Lecce's cultural authorities. You can wander around inside, catch a recital, and visit the on-site papier-mâché museum.

Museo Provinciale Sigismondo CastromedianoMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 68 35 03; Viale Gallipoli 30; icon-hoursgifh8.30am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun)icon-freeF

This museum stylishly covers 10,000 years of history, from Palaeolithic and Neolithic bits and bobs to a handsome display of Greek and Roman jewels, weaponry and ornaments. The stars of the show are the Messapians, whose jaunty Mycenaean-inspired jugs and bowls date back 2500 years. There's also an interesting collection of 15th- to 18th-century paintings.

Roman AmphitheatreAMPHITHEATRE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza Sant'Oronzo; icon-hoursgifhtours 10.15am-7.15pm Fri-Wed)

Below the ground level of the piazza is this restored 2nd-century-AD amphitheatre, discovered in 1901 by construction workers. It was excavated in the 1930s to reveal a perfect horseshoe with seating for 15,000. A little colonised by weeds, it's nonetheless an impressive centrepiece to Lecce's main communal square. Book tickets for tours (€2, 10.15am, 12.15pm, 5.15pm and 7.15pm) at the neighbouring tourist office.

MUSTGALLERY

(Museo Storico Citta di Lecce; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 10 67; www.mustlecce.it; Via degli Ammirati 11; adult/reduced €4.50/2.50; icon-hoursgifhnoon-7pm Tue-Sun)

The beautifully restored 15th-century Monastery of Santa Chiara houses this civic museum and gallery, and has a great view of the Roman theatre from the back window. Exhibits focus on the history of Lecce, from the Messapians of 2500 years ago to the present day, while the work of modern Leccese artists hangs in the ground-floor gallery.

Colonna di Sant'OronzoMONUMENT

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza Sant'Oronzo)

Two Roman columns once marked the end of the Appian Way in Brindisi. When one of them crumbled in 1582 some of the pieces were rescued and subsequently donated to Lecce (the base and capital remain in Brindisi). The old column was rebuilt in 1666 with a statue of Lecce's patron saint placed on top. Sant'Oronzo is venerated for supposedly saving the city of Brindisi from a 1656 plague.

Museo Teatro RomanoMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 27 91 96; Via degli Ammirati 5; adult/reduced €3/2; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-1pm Mon-Sat)

Exhibiting artefacts revealed excavating the adjacent Roman theatre, this museum also has displays recreating classical Roman life, including a reconstruction of Roman Lupiae (Lecce). The museum is housed in a handsome 17th-century palazzo.

Porta NapoliGATE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

The main city gate, Porta Napoli, was erected in 1548 in anticipation of a state visit from Charles V. It's a typically bombastic effort by Gian dell'Acaja (builder of Lecce's fortified walls), who modelled it on a Roman triumphal arch and gave it a pointy pediment carved with toy weapons and an enormous Spanish coat of arms.

LECCE'S NOTABLE CHURCHES

Lecce’s unique baroque style is perhaps best seen in its churches; the city harbours dozens of them.

Chiesa dei Santi Nicolò e CataldoCHURCH

( GOOGLE MAP ; Via Cimitero; icon-hoursgifh9am-noon & 5-7pm Jun-Aug, shorter hours rest of year)

The beautiful church of Saints Nicolò and Cataldo, located in the monumental cemetery outside the city walls, was built by the Normans in 1180. It got caught up in the city’s baroque frenzy and was revamped in 1716 by the prolific Giuseppe Cino, who retained the Romanesque rose window and portal. The 16th-century fresco cycles inside tell stories from the saints' lives.

Chiesa di Santa ChiaraCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazzetta Vittorio Emanuele II; icon-hoursgifh9am-1pm & 4.30-6.30pm)

A notable 15th-century church given a baroque makeover between 1687 and 1691, Santa Chiara is one of the most important and admired churches in Lecce. Inside, every niche and surface swirls with twisting columns and ornate statuary. The ceiling is 18th-century Leccese cartapestra (papier-mâché) masquerading as wood.

Chiesa di Sant’IreneCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Corso Vittorio Emanuele II; icon-hoursgifh7.30-11am & 4-6pm)

Dedicated to Lecce's former patron saint and modelled on Rome's Basilica di Sant'Andrea della Valle, this church was completed in 1639. Inside you'll find a magnificent pair of mirror-image baroque altarpieces, facing each other across the transept.

Chiesa di San MatteoCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via dei Perroni 29; icon-hoursgifh8.30am-1pm & 5-8pm)

Known by the locals as Santa Maria della Luce, this graceful little church bears the fingerprints of Giuseppe Zimbalo, as much of baroque Lecce does. The famed architect completed the building, with its elaborate facade and more restrained interior, when the original architect died before completion.

Chiesa del RosarioCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via Libertini 5; icon-hoursgifh8.30-11.30am & 5-6pm)

Also known as the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista (Church of John the Baptist), this elaborately fronted church was prodigious Leccese architect Giuseppe Zimbalo's last commission. He died before it was completed, and a quick-fix wooden roof was put up, instead of the dome he had intended.

CCourses

Awaiting TableCOOKING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%334 7676970; www.awaitingtable.com; Via Idomeneo 41; day/week €195/1895)

Silvestro Silvestori's splendid culinary- and wine-school provides day- or week-long courses with market shopping, tours, tastings, noteworthy lecturers – and lots of hands-on cooking. Week-long courses are held in Silvestro's home, but you'll need to arrange your own accommodation. Book well in advance as courses fill up rapidly.

4Sleeping

icon-top-choiceoPalazzo RolloB&B, APARTMENT

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 30 71 52; www.palazzorollo.it; Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 14; s/d €75/90; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-internetgifi)

This tastefully restored 17th-century palazzo – the Rollo family seat for more than 200 years – makes a delightful base from which to explore Lecce. The grand B&B suites (with kitchenettes) have high curved ceilings and chandeliers while, downstairs, contemporary-chic studios open onto an ivy-hung courtyard. There are also self-catering apartments (€75 per person) and a rooftop garden with wonderful views.

B&B Idomeneo 63B&B

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%333 9499838; www.bebidomeneo63.it; Via Idomeneo 63; d/ste €85/120; icon-wifigifW)

You’ll be looked after like a VIP at this wonderfully curated B&B in the midst of Lecce’s baroque quarter, complete with six colour-coded rooms and a funky entrance lounge. Decked out boutique-hotel style, it manages to seamlessly incorporate older features like stone ceiling arches. The two 'apartments', with kitchenettes, are great value.

Azzurretta B&BB&B

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 22 11; www.hostelecce.com; Via Vignes 2; d/tr/apt €72/87/105; icon-parkgifpicon-wifigifW)

Tullio runs this arty B&B located in an historic palazzo. Of the four rooms, ask for the large double with a balcony, wooden floors and vaulted ceiling. Massage is available in your room or on the roof terrace – also a splendid place to take a sundowner. You get a cafe voucher for breakfast.

B&B PrestigeB&B

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%349 7751290; www.bbprestige-lecce.it; Via Libertini 7; s/d/q €70/100/140; icon-parkgifpicon-internetgifiicon-wifigifW)

On the corner of Via Santa Maria del Paradiso in the historic centre, the rooms at this lovely B&B are light, airy and beautifully finished. The communal sun-trap terrace has views over San Giovanni Battista church. Breakfast is an extra €5 per day.

Centro Storico B&BB&B

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%328 8351294, 0832 24 27 27; www.centrostoricolecce.it; Via Vignes 2; s/d/ste €60/70/90; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-wifigifW)

This friendly and efficient B&B located in the 16th-century Palazzo Astore features big rooms, double-glazed windows and pleasantly old-fashioned decor. The huge rooftop terrace has sun loungers and views. Cafe vouchers are provided for breakfast, and there are also coffee- and tea-making facilities.

Palazzo Belli B&BB&B€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 169 05 05, 348 0946802; Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 33; d €110; icon-acongifaicon-wifigifW)

A wonderfully central, elegant and well-priced option located in a handsome palazzo near the cathedral. Rooms have marbled floors and wrought-iron beds, and breakfast is served in your room.

Patria Palace HotelHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 51 11; http://patriapalace.com; Piazzetta Riccardi 13; d from €114; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-internetgifiicon-wifigifW)

This sumptuous hotel is traditionally Italian with large mirrors, dark-wood furniture and wistful murals. The location is wonderful, the bar gloriously art deco with a magnificent carved ceiling, and the shady roof terrace has views over the Basilica di Santa Croce. The attached restaurant, Atenze ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 51 11; https://patriapalace.com/it/ristorante-atenze; Piazzetta Riccardi; meals €50; icon-hoursgifh12.30-3pm & 7-11pm), is one of Lecce's finest.

Risorgimento ResortHOTEL€€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 63 11; www.risorgimentoresort.it; Via Imperatore Augusto 19; d/ste €220/355; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-internetgifiicon-wifigifW)

A warm welcome awaits at this stylish five-star hotel in the centre of Lecce. The rooms are spacious and refined with high ceilings, modern furniture and contemporary details reflecting the colours of the Salento. The bathrooms are enormous, too. There's a restaurant, wine bar and rooftop garden.

5Eating

icon-top-choiceoBaldo GelatoGELATO

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%328 0710290; Via Idomeneo 78; medium cone or cup €3; icon-hoursgifh11am-8pm Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri-Sun)

The couple behind Baldo Gelato make the best gelato in Lecce, hands down. The dark chocolate may be the most intensely chocolatey thing you've ever put in your mouth.

icon-top-choiceoTrattoria Il Rifugio della Buona StellaPUGLIAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 181 05 11; www.ilrifugiodellabuonastella.it; Via Prato 28; meals €23; icon-hoursgifhnoon-3pm & 7-11.45pm Wed-Mon)

A third-generation family restaurant in a gorgeous Leccese building with sandy stone walls and medieval decor, this wonderful trattoria serves utterly delicious Pugliese food at more-than-reasonable prices. Start off with the homemade bread, proceed to pasta with swordfish and rapini (turnip tops), and round off a happy evening's gluttony with the grilled sausages with mushrooms.

icon-top-choiceoTrattoria le Zie - Cucina CasarecciaTRATTORIA€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 51 78; Viale Costadura 19; meals €30; icon-hoursgifh12.30-2.30pm Tue-Sun & 7.30-10.30pm Tue-Sun)

Where better to eat cucina casareccia (home cooking) than a place that feels like a private home, with patterned cement floor tiles, paper-strewn desk and a welcoming hostess (Carmela Perrone)? Known locally as simply 'le Zie' (the aunt) it's here you'll taste true cucina povera, such as horse meat in salsa piccante (spicy sauce). Booking is a must.

La Torre di MerlinoPUGLIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 20 91; Via Giambattista del Tufo 10; meals €45; icon-hoursgifh12-2.30pm & 7.30-11.30pm)

This sweet courtyard restaurant is dependably one of Lecce's best eating options. There are pizzas, but why would you, when the seafood's so good? Try the antipasti di crude di mare (spanking-fresh raw scallops, red Gallipoli prawns, and whatever else that day's market suggested).

Alle due CortiPUGLIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 22 23; www.alleduecorti.com; Via Prato 42; meals €30; icon-hoursgifh12.30-2pm & 7.30-11pm Mon-Sat, closed Jan)

Rosalba de Carlo, a noted repository of Salento gustatory wisdom, is the presiding authority in this authentic-as-it gets Pugliese kitchen. 'The Two Courts' keeps it strictly seasonal and local, dishing up classics such as ciceri e tria (crisply fried pasta with chickpeas) and turcineddhi (offal of kid) in a relaxed, traditional restaurant environment.

La Cucina di Mamma ElviraPUGLIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%331 5795127; www.mammaelvira.com; Via Maremonti 33; meals €30; icon-hoursgifh12.30pm-midnight)

An offshoot of the stylish Enoteca Mamma Elvira, 'The Kitchen' makes use of a bigger space than that available to its older sibling to deliver more ambitious and substantial food. There's still the same focus on Pugliese wine, simply augmented by a menu that offers seafood antipasti, lovely vegetarian options (try the eggplant fritters), robust Pugliese pastas and more.

6Drinking & Nightlife

Via Umberto I, just north of the Palazzo del Governo, is now an unbroken stretch of stylish bars, spilling out onto the pavement.

icon-top-choiceoEnoteca Mamma ElviraWINE BAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 169 20 11; www.mammaelvira.com; Via Umberto I 19; icon-hoursgifh8am-3am; icon-wifigifW)

All you need to know about emerging Salento wine will be imparted by the hip but friendly staff at this cool new joint near the Santa Croce church. Taster glasses are dispatched liberally if you order a few snacks. You'll need to order a few if you're going to properly research the 250+ Pugliese wines it stocks.

All'Ombra del BaroccoWINE BAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 55 24; Corte dei Cicala 1; icon-hoursgifh7am-midnight)

Open throughout the day, this cool restaurant/cafe/wine bar has most needs covered, offering a range of teas, cocktails and aperitivi. It's open for breakfast, hosts musical events and the modern cooking is well worth a try. Tables fill the little square outside, an ideal place from which to watch the passeggiata.

Caffè AlvinoCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 67 48; Piazza Sant'Oronzo 30; icon-hoursgifh7am-2am Wed-Mon; icon-wifigifW)

Treat yourself to great coffee and pasticciotto (custard pie) at this iconic chandeliered cafe in Lecce's main square. And try to get past the lavish display of cakes without at least having second thoughts.

LECCE'S PAPIER-MÂCHÉ ART

Lecce is famous for its papier-mâché art (cartapesta). Statues and figurines are sculpted out of a mixture of paper and glue before being painted and used to adorn churches and other public buildings. Lecce’s cartapesta culture originated in the 17th century when glue and paper offered cheap raw materials for religious artists who couldn’t afford expensive wood or marble. Legend has it that the first exponents of the art were Leccese barbers who shaped and chiseled their morphing statues in between haircuts.

These days the art is still practiced in Lecce and you’ll see a number of traditional workshops such as Cartapesta Riso ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 34 10; www.cartapestariso.it; Corso Emanuele II 27; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-7.30pm) scattered around the old town centre. Also worth perusing are the papier-mâché museum inside the Castello di Carlo V and the decorative papier-mâché ceiling inside the Chiesa di Santa Chiara.

8Information

InfoLecce ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 52 18 77; www.infolecce.it; Piazza del Duomo 2; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-1.30pm & 3.30-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1.30pm & 3.30-7pm Sat & Sun) Independent and helpful tourist information office. Has guided tours and bike rental (per hour/day €3/15).

Tourist Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 68 29 85; Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 16; icon-hoursgifh10am-1pm & 4-6pm) One of three main government-run offices. The others are in Castello di Carlo V ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 65 17; Castello di Carlo V; icon-hoursgifh9am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-8.30pm Sat & Sun, closes later in summer) and Piazza Sant'Oronzo ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 24 20 99; Piazza Sant'Oronzo; icon-hoursgifh10am-1pm & 4-6pm).

Puglia Blog (www.thepuglia.com) is an informative site run by Fabio Ingrosso with articles on culture, history, food, wine, accommodation and travel in Puglia.

HospitalHOSPITAL

(Ospedale Vito Fazzi; GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 66 11 11; Piazza Filippo)

Has a 24-hour emergency room.

Police StationPOLICE

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0832 69 11 11; Viale Otranto 1)

Post OfficePOST

( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza Libertini 5; icon-hoursgifh8.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 12.30pm Sat)

8Getting There & Away

Bus

The city bus terminal is located to the north of Porta Napoli.

Pugliairbus (http://pugliairbus.aeroportidipuglia.it) Connects with Brindisi airport.

STP (icon-phonegif%0832 35 91 42; www.stplecce.it) STP runs buses to Brindisi, Gallipoli and Otranto from the STP bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%800 43 03 46; Viale Porta D'Europa).

Train

The main train station ( GOOGLE MAP ), 1km southwest of Lecce's historic centre, runs frequent services.

Bari from €9, 1½ to two hours

Bologna from €59.50, 7½ to 9½ hours

Brindisi from €2.80, 30 minutes

Naples from €53.10, 5½ hours (transfer in Caserta)

Rome from €66, 5½ to nine hours

FSE trains head to Otranto, Gallipoli and Martina Franca; the ticket office is located on platform 1.

Brindisi

Pop 87,800

Like all ports, Brindisi has its seamy side, but it's also surprisingly slow paced and balmy, particularly along the palm-lined Corso Garibaldi, which links the port to the train station, and the promenade stretching along the interesting lungomare (seafront).

The town was the end of the ancient Roman road Via Appia, down whose length trudged weary legionnaires and pilgrims, crusaders and traders, all heading to Greece and the Near East. These days little has changed except that Brindisi's pilgrims are now sun-seekers rather than soul-seekers.

1Sights

Museo Archeologico Provinciale RibezzoMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 56 55 01; Piazza del Duomo 6; adult/reduced €5/3; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-1.30pm Tue-Sat, plus 3.30-6.30pm Tue)

This superb museum covers several floors with well-documented exhibits (in English), including some 3000 bronze sculptures and fragments in Hellenistic Greek style. There are also terracotta figurines from the 7th century, underwater archaeological finds, and Roman statues and heads (not always together).

Roman ColumnMONUMENT

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via Colonne)

The gleaming white column above a sweeping set of sun-whitened stairs leading to the waterfront promenade marks the terminus of the Roman Via Appia at Brindisi. Originally there were two columns, but one was presented to the town of Lecce back in 1666 as thanks to Sant'Oronzo for having relieved Brindisi of the plague.

Tempio di San Giovanni al SepolcroCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 52 30 72; Piazzetta San Giovanni al Sepolcro)

This 12th-century church, a brown bulk of Norman stone conforming to the circular plan the Templars so loved, is a wonderfully evocative structure, austere and bare. You'll see vestigial medieval frescoes on the walls, and glimpses of the crypt below.

Palazzo Granafei-NervegnaMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via Duomo 20; icon-hoursgifh10am-1pm & 5-8pm Tue-Sun)icon-freeF

A 16th-century Renaissance-style palace named for the two different families who owned it. The building is of interest because it houses the huge ornate capital that used to sit atop one of the Roman columns that marked the end of the Appian Way (the rest of the column is in Lecce). Also on site are a pleasant cafe, a bookshop, exhibition spaces and the archaeological remains of a Roman domus (house).

CathedralCATHEDRAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza del Duomo; icon-hoursgifh8am-9pm Mon-Fri & Sun, to noon Sat)

This 12th-century cathedral was substantially remodelled after an earthquake in 1743. You can see how the original Romanesque structure may have looked by studying the nearby Porta dei Cavalieri Templari ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), a fanciful portico with pointy arches – all that remains of a medieval Knights Templar's church that once also stood here.

4Sleeping

Grande Albergo InternazionaleHISTORIC HOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 52 34 73; www.albergointernazionale.it; Viale Regina Margherita 23; s/d €100/160; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-wifigifW)

Built in 1869 for English merchants en route to India, the Internazionale definitely offers grandeur, albeit of the rather faded variety. It has great harbour views, large rooms with grandly draped curtains, and stately common areas. There are mod cons, but gadgetry takes second place to history here (wi-fi is available only in public areas). Check for off-season deals online.

Hotel OrientaleHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 56 84 51; www.hotelorientale.it; Corso Garibaldi 40; r €130; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-wifigifW)

This sleek, modern hotel overlooks the long palm-lined corso. Rooms are pleasant, the location is good and it has a small fitness centre, private car park and (rare) cooked breakfast option.

5Eating

Il GiardinoPUGLIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 52 49 50; Via Tarantini 14-18; meals €30; icon-hoursgifh12.30-2.30pm & 8-10.30pm Tue-Sat, 12.30-2.30pm Sun)

Established more than 40 years ago in a restored 15th-century palazzo, sophisticated Il Giardino serves refined seafood and meat dishes in a delightful garden setting. You won't be disappointed with the pizza, but try something a little different, like the pasta with bottarga (dried mullet roe).

Trattoria PantagrueleTRATTORIA€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 56 06 05; Via Salita di Ripalta 1; meals €30; icon-hoursgifh12.30-2.30pm Mon-Sat, 7.30-10.30pm Mon-Fri)

Named after the Rabelaisian giant Pantagruel, this charming trattoria three blocks from the waterfront serves up excellent fish and grilled meats. Expect fresh anchovies in season, and lovely homemade pasta in all seasons.

8Information

Antonio Perrino HospitalHOSPITAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 53 71 11; Strada Statale 7 per Mesagne)

Has an emergency room. Southwest of the centre; take the SS7 for Mesagne.

Post OfficePOST

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 22 55 95; Piazza Vittoria 10; icon-hoursgifh8am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat)

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 52 30 72; www.viaggiareinpuglia.it; Viale Regina Margherita 44; icon-hoursgifh10am-6pm Mon, 8am-8pm Tue-Sun)

Has a wealth of information and brochures on the area. If you are interested in pedal power, pick up Le Vie Verdi map, which shows eight bicycling routes in the Brindisi area, ranging from 6km to 30km.

8Getting There & Away

Air

From Salento Airport (BDS; GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 411 74 06; www.aeroportidipuglia.it; Contrada Baroncino), Brindisi's small airport, there are domestic flights to Rome, Naples and Milan. Airlines include Alitalia and easyJet. There are also direct flights from London Stansted with Ryanair.

Boat

Ferries, all of which take vehicles, leave Brindisi for Greece and Albania.

Ferry companies have offices at Costa Morena (the newer port), which is 4km from the train station. A free bus ( GOOGLE MAP ) connects the two.

Grimaldi Lines ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 54 81 16; www.grimaldi-lines.com; Costa Morena Terminal) Frequent year-round ferries to Igoumenitsa and Patras in Greece.

Red Star Ferries ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0831 57 52 89; www.directferries.co.uk/red_star_ferries.htm; Costa Morena Terminal) To Vlorë in Albania, once a day.

Bus

Pugliairbus (www.aeroportidipuglia.it) has services to Bari airport and Lecce from Brindisi's airport.

Ferrovie del Sud-Est buses serving local towns leave from Via Bastioni Carlo V, in front of the train station.

Marozzi (icon-phonegif%0831 52 16 84; www.marozzivt.it) Runs to Rome's Stazione Tiburtina from Viale Arno.

STP Brindisi ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.stpbrindisi.it) Buses go regularly to Ostuni, Lecce and other towns throughout the Salento. Most leave from Via Bastioni Carlo V, in front of the train station.

Train

Brindisi train station has regular services to the following destinations:

Bari from €8.40, 1¼ hours

Lecce from €2.80, 30 minutes

Milan from €99.50, 8½ to 11 hours

Rome from €70, eight to 12 hours

Taranto from €4.90, one hour

8Getting Around

Major and local car-rental firms are represented at the airport. To reach the airport by bus, take the STP-run Cotrap ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%800 232042; www.stpbrindisi.it; single ticket €1) bus from Via Bastoni Carlo V.

A free minibus connects the train station and old ferry terminal with Costa Morena. It departs two hours before boat departures. You'll need a valid ferry ticket.

Galatina

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With a charming historic centre, Galatina, 18km south of Lecce, is at the core of the Salentine Peninsula's Greek past. It is almost the only place where the ritual tarantismi (Spider Music) is still practised. The tarantella folk dance evolved from this ritual, and each year on the feast day of St Peter and St Paul (29 June), it is performed at the (now deconsecrated) church.

1Sights

Basilica di Santa Caterina d'AlessandriaBASILICA

( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazzetta Orsini; icon-hoursgifh4-6.30pm daily & 8.30am-12.30pm Mon-Sat Apr-Sep, shorter hours rest of year)

Most people come to Galatina to see the incredible 14th-century Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria. Its interior is a kaleidoscope of frescoes and is absolutely beautiful, with a pure-white altarpiece set against the frenzy of frescoes. It was built by the Franciscans, whose patron was Frenchwoman Marie d’Enghien de Brienne.

4Sleeping

SamadhiAGRITURISMO€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 60 02 84; www.agricolasamadhi.com; Via Stazione 116, Zollino; d €130; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-wifigifWicon-swimgifs)icon-sustainableS

Soothe the soul with a stay at Samadhi, located around 7km east of Galatina in tiny Zollino. It's on a 10-hectare organic farm and the owners are multilingual. As well as Ayurvedic treatments, shiatsu and yoga courses, there's a vegan restaurant offering organic meals. Check the website for upcoming retreats and courses.

8Getting There & Away

Ferrovie del Sud runs frequent trains between Lecce and Galatina (€2.10, 30 minutes), and Galatina and Zollino (€1, eight minutes).

Otranto

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Bloodied and bruised by an infamous Turkish massacre in 1480, Otranto is best appreciated in its amazing cathedral, where the bones of 813 martyrs are displayed in a glass case behind the altar. Less macabre is the cathedral’s other jaw-dropper, its medieval mosaic floor, which rivals the famous early Christian mosaics of Ravenna in its richness and historical significance.

Lying deep in Italy’s stiletto, Otranto has back-heeled quite a few invaders over the centuries and been brutally kicked by others – most notably the Turks. Sleuth around its compact old quarter and you can peel the past off in layers – Greek, Roman, Turkish and Napoleonic. These days the town is a generally peaceful place, unless you're fighting for beach space at the height of summer.

1Sights

icon-top-choiceoCathedralCATHEDRAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 80 27 20; Piazza Basilica; icon-hoursgifh7am-noon & 3-8pm, shorter hours in winter)

Mosaics, skulls, crypts and biblical-meets-tropical imagery: Otranto's cathedral is like no other in Italy. It was built by the Normans in the 11th century, incorporating Romanesque, Byzantine and early Christian styles with their own, and has been given a few facelifts since. Covering the entire floor is its pièce de résistance, a vast 12th-century mosaic of a stupendous tree of life balanced on the back of two elephants.

Castello Aragonese OtrantoCASTLE

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 21 00 94; Piazza Castello; adult/reduced/under 17yr €5/2/free; icon-hoursgifh10am-7pm summer, shorter hours rest of year)

Built in the late 15th century, when Otranto was more populous and important than today, and not long after the calamitous Ottoman raid that resulted in the execution of hundreds for refusing Islam, the castle is a blunt and grim structure, well preserved internally and offering splendid views from the outer walls. It is famous, among other things, from Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764), recognised as the first Gothic novel. Last tickets are sold an hour before closing.

Chiesa di San PietroCHURCH

( GOOGLE MAP ; Via San Pietro; icon-hoursgifh10am-noon & 4-8pm Jun-Sep, by request rest of year)

The origins of this cross-shaped Byzantine church are uncertain, but some think they may be as remote as the 5th century. The present structure seems to be a product of the 10th century, to which the oldest of the celebrated frescoes decorating its three apses dates.

2Activities

There are some great beaches north of Otranto, especially Baia dei Turchi, with its translucent blue water. South of Otranto a spectacular rocky coastline makes for an impressive drive down to Castro. To see what goes on underwater, speak to Scuba Diving Otranto ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 80 27 40; www.scubadiving.it; Via del Porto 1; 1-/2-tank dive incl equipment €48/75; icon-hoursgifh7am-10pm).

4Sleeping

Palazzo de MoriB&B€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 80 10 88; www.palazzodemori.it; Bastione dei Pelasgi; s/d €105/140; icon-hoursgifhApr-Oct; icon-acongifaicon-internetgifi)icon-sustainableS

In Otranto's historic centre, this charming B&B serves fabulous breakfasts on the sun terrace overlooking the port. The rooms are decorated in soothing white on white.

icon-top-choiceoPalazzo PapaleoHOTEL€€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 80 21 08; www.hotelpalazzopapaleo.com; Via Rondachi 1; r from €200; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-internetgifiicon-wifigifW)icon-sustainableS

Located next to the cathedral, this sumptuous hotel, the first to earn the EU Eco-label in Puglia, has magnificent rooms with original frescoes, exquisitely carved antique furniture and walls washed in soft greys, ochres and yellows. Soak in the panoramic views while enjoying the rooftop spa, or steam yourself pure in the hammam. The staff are exceptionally friendly.

5Eating

La Bella IdrusaPIZZA

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 80 14 75; Lungomare degli Eroi 1; pizza €7; icon-hoursgifh7pm-midnight)

You can't miss this pizzeria right by the huge Porta Terra as you enter the historic centre. Despite the tourist-trap location, the food doesn't lack authenticity. Pizza's the main event, but there is support: seafood, grilled meat, vegetarian contorni (side dishes) and pasta are all there to lend a hand.

icon-top-choiceoL'Altro BaffoSEAFOOD€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 80 16 36; www.laltrobaffo.com; Via Cenobio Basiliano 23; meals €40; icon-hoursgifh12-2.30pm & 7.30pm-midnight Tue-Sun)

This elegant modern restaurant near the castle stands out in Otranto's competitive dining scene. It stays in touch with basic Pugliese and Italian principles, but ratchets things up several notches: the 'carbonara' made with sea-urchin roe is a daring instant classic. The menu is mainly seafood, but there are a few vegetarian dishes that are anything but afterthoughts.

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 80 14 36; Via del Porto; icon-hoursgifh9am-1pm & 3-6pm)

Down in the new port area.

8Getting There & Away

Otranto can be reached from Lecce by FSE train (€3.50, 1½ hours). It is on a small branch line, which necessitates changing in Maglie and sometimes Zollino too. Services are reduced on Sundays.

SCENIC DRIVE: OTRANTO TO CASTRO

For a scenic road trip, the drive south from Otranto to Castro takes you along a wild and beautiful coastline. The coast here is rocky and dramatic, with cliffs falling down into the sparkling, azure sea; when the wind is up you can see why it is largely treeless. Many of the towns here started life as Greek settlements, although there are few monuments to be seen. Further south, the resort town of Santa Maria di Leuca is the tip of Italy's stiletto and the dividing line between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.

Castro

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One of Salento's most striking coastal settlements, the walled commune of Castro has a pedigree that predates the Romans, who gave it the name Castrum Minervae, or 'Minerva's Castle'. The castle and walls that remain today date to the 16th-century rule of the Aragonese, who built atop foundations laid by the Angevins and Byzantines before them. The charming old town, which also boasts a 12th-century cathedral, the remains of a Byzantine church and a cliff-top piazza with delightful sea views, sits above a marina (which really comes alive in summer) and terraced olive groves leading to a limestone coast riddled with spectacular caves.

1Sights

Grotta ZinzulusaCAVE

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 94 38 12; Via Zinzulusa; adult/reduced €6/3; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-7pm Jul & Aug, shorter hours rest of year; icon-parkgifp)

An aperture on the Ionian coast below Castro leads into the magnificent stalactite-festooned Cave of Zinzulusa, one of the most significant coastal limestone karst formations in Italy. The portion accessible to the public stretches hundreds of metres back from the cliff face, terminating in a chamber grand enough to justify the sobriquet 'Il Duomo'. Divided into three distinct geomorphological sections, Zinzulusa is home to endemic crustacea and other 'living fossils' known nowhere else on the planet.

Castello AragoneseCASTLE

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0836 94 70 05; Via Sant Antonio 1; adult/reduced €2.50/2; icon-hoursgifh10am-1pm & 3-7.30pm)

Primarily the work of the Aragonese who ruled southern Italy in the 16th century, this sturdy redoubt retains elements built by the Angevins in previous centuries, on earlier Byzantine foundations. Partly ruinous by the 18th century, it's been thoroughly restored, and now houses the small Antonio Lazzari Civic Museum, exhibiting Messapian, Greek and Roman archaeology uncovered in Castro and the surrounding area. Its prize piece is a torso of the goddess Minerva (Athena), buried at the ancient city gates.

8Getting There & Away

STP Lecce runs a daily bus between Castro and Lecce (€4, 90 minutes).

Gallipoli

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Like Taranto, Gallipoli is a two-part town: the modern hub is based on the mainland, while the older centro storico inhabits a small island that juts out into the Ionian Sea. With a raft of serene baroque architecture usurped only by Lecce, it is, arguably, the prettiest of Salento’s smaller settlements.

The old town, ringed by the remains of its muscular 14th-century walls, is the best place to linger. It’s punctuated by several baroque chapels, a traditional fishing port, a windswept sea drive, and narrow lanes barely wide enough to accommodate a Fiat cinquecento (500).

1Sights

Gallipoli has some fine beaches, including the Baia Verde, just south of town. Nature enthusiasts will want to take a day trip to Parco Regionale Porto Selvaggio, about 20km north – a protected area of wild coastline with walking trails among the trees and diving off the rocky shore.

Cattedrale di Sant'AgataCATHEDRAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; www.cattedralegallipoli.it; Via Duomo 1; icon-hoursgifhhours vary)

On the island, Gallipoli's 17th-century cathedral is a baroque beauty that could compete with anything in Lecce. Not surprisingly, Giuseppe Zimbalo, who helped beautify Lecce's Santa Croce basilica, worked on the facade. Inside, it's lined with paintings by local artists.

Frantoio IpogeoHISTORIC SITE

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0833 26 42 42; Via Antonietta de Pace 87; €3; icon-hoursgifh10am-mindnight Jul & Aug, shorter hours rest of year)

This is only one of some 35 olive presses buried in the tufa rock below the town. It was here, between the 16th and early 19th centuries, that local workers pressed Gallipoli's olive oil, which was then stored in one of the 2000 cisterns carved beneath the old town.

4Sleeping

InsulaB&B€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0833 20 14 13, 329 8070056; www.bbinsulagallipoli.it; Via Antonietta de Pace 56; s/d €80/150; icon-hoursgifhApr-Oct; icon-acongifaicon-internetgifi)

A magnificent 16th-century building houses this memorable B&B. The five rooms are all different but share the same princely atmosphere with exquisite antiques, vaulted high ceilings and cool pastel paintwork. Directly adjacent to the cathedral, it couldn't be any more central.

Hotel Palazzo del CorsoHOTEL€€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0833 26 40 40; www.hotelpalazzodelcorso.it; Corso Roma 145; r/ste €239/389; icon-parkgifpicon-acongifaicon-internetgifiicon-wifigifWicon-swimgifs)

It's worth forking out a bit extra for this beautiful new town hotel, if you fancy a bit of luxury. The rooms are furnished distinctively enough to avoid looking too corporate, there's a gym and a fantastic terrace (complete with a small swimming pool), and there's also a fine terrace restaurant, La DolceVita, serving lots of seafood (meals €40).

5Eating

Gallipoli is famous for its red prawns and its soothing spumone Iayered ice cream.

Baguetteria de PaceSANDWICHES

( GOOGLE MAP ; Via Sant'Angelo 8; baguettes from €5; icon-hoursgifh11am-2.30pm & 7-11pm)

The Italian art of making truly exceptional sandwiches is practised assiduously here. Choose the dense Italian bread (or a baguette if you're feeling fluffy) and have the friendly staff stuff it with top-notch smallgoods, cheeses, vegetables and whatever else takes your fancy. It also sells craft beer and Salento wines.

Caffè DuomoCAFE

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0833 26 44 02; Via Antonietta de Pace 72; desserts €9; icon-hoursgifh7.30am-1am)

For good Gallipoli spumone (layered ice cream with candied fruit and nuts) and refreshing granite (ices made with coffee, fresh fruit or locally grown pistachios and almonds), head to Caffè Duomo. The tables set up in the lee of the cathedral make a good place to people-watch as you refresh yourself.

icon-top-choiceoLa PuritateSEAFOOD€€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0833 26 42 05; Via Sant'Elia 18; meals €50; icon-hoursgifh12.30-3pm & 7.30-10.30pm, closed Wed winter)

Book ahead to ensure your table at the place for fish in this seafood-loving town. Follow the practically obligatory seafood antipasti with delicious primi (first courses). Anything fishy is good (especially the prawns, swordfish and tuna) and the picture windows allow splendid views of the waters whence it came.

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0833 26 25 29; Via Antonietta de Pace 86; icon-hoursgifh8am-9pm summer, 8am-1pm & 4-9pm Mon-Sat winter)

Near the cathedral in the old town.

8Getting There & Away

FSE (www.fseonline.it) buses and trains head direct to Lecce.

Taranto

The once-mighty Greek-Spartan colony of Taras is, today, a city of two distinct parts – a mildewed centro storico on a small artificial island protecting a lagoon (the Mar Piccolo), and a swankier new city replete with wide avenues laid out in a formal grid. The contrast between the two is sudden and sharp: the diminutive old town with its muscular Aragonese castle harbours a downtrodden, almost derelict air, while the larger new city is busier, plusher and bustling with commerce.

Not generally considered to be on the tourist circuit, Taranto is rimmed by modern industry, including a massive steelworks, and is home to Italy’s second biggest naval base after La Spezia. Thanks to an illustrious Greek and Roman history, it has been bequeathed with one of the finest Magna Graecia museums in Italy. For this reason alone, it’s worth a stopover.

1Sights

icon-top-choiceoMuseo Nazionale Archeologico di TarantoMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%099 453 21 12; www.museotaranto.org; Via Cavour 10; adult/reduced €5/2.50; icon-hoursgifh8.30am-7.30pm)

Sitting unassumingly in a side street in Taranto's new town is one of Italy's most important archaeological museums, chiefly dedicated to the archaeology of ancient Taras (Taranto). It houses, among other artefacts, the largest collection of Greek terracotta figures in the world. Also on display are fine collections of 1st-century BC glassware, classic black-and-red Attic vases and stunning gold and jewellery from Magna Grecia (Italy's ancient Greek cities), such as a 4th-century BC bronze and terracotta crown.

CathedralCATHEDRAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza Duomo; icon-hoursgifh4.30-7.30pm daily & 7.30am-noon Sat & Sun)

The 11th-century cathedral is one of Puglia's oldest Romanesque buildings and an extravagant treat. It's dedicated to San Cataldo, an Irish monk who lived and was buried here in the 7th century. Within, the Capella di San Cataldo is a baroque riot of frescoes and polychrome marble inlay.

Castello AragoneseCASTLE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0997 75 34 38; www.castelloaragonesetaranto.it; Piazza Castello; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-1.30am summer, shorter hours rest of year)icon-freeF

Guarding the swing bridge that joins the old and new parts of town, this impressive 15th-century structure, built on Norman and Byzantine predecessors, was once a prison and is currently occupied by the Italian navy, which has restored it. Multilingual and free guided tours, mandatory to get inside, are led by naval officers throughout the day. Opposite are the two remaining columns of the ancient Temple of Poseidon ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza Castello).

Palazzo del GovernoNOTABLE BUILDING

( GOOGLE MAP ; Via Anfiteatro 4)

The gigantic rust-red 1930s Palazzo del Governo, inaugurated by Mussolini, is a forbidding and masculine structure, expressive of the fascist ideas of strength then current.

zFestivals & Events

Le Feste di PasquaRELIGIOUS

Taranto is famous for its Holy Week celebrations – the biggest in the region – when bearers in Ku Klux Klan–style robes carry icons around the town. There are three processions: the Perdoni, celebrating pilgrims; the Addolorata (lasting 12 hours but covering only 4km); and the Misteri (even slower at 14 hours to cover 2km).

4Sleeping & Eating

Hotel AkropolisHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%099 470 41 10; www.hotelakropolis.it; Vico Seminario 3; s/d €105/145; icon-acongifaicon-internetgifiicon-wifigifW)

If Taranto's richly historic yet crumbling old town is ever to be reborn, it will be due to businesses such as this hotel – a converted medieval palazzo with a heavy Greek theme. It offers 13 stylish cream-and-white rooms, beautiful majolica-tiled floors, a panoramic rooftop terrace and an atmospheric bar and restaurant, decked out in stone, wood and glass.

Trattoria al Gatto RossoTRATTORIA€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%099 452 98 75, 340 5337800; www.ristorantegattorosso.com; Via Cavour 2; meals €35; icon-hoursgifhnoon-3pm & 7.30-11pm Tue-Sun)

Unsurprisingly, seafood is the thing at the Red Cat. Relaxed and unpretentious, its heavy tablecloths, deep wine glasses and solid cutlery set the scene for full enjoyment of dishes such as spaghetti with local clams and slow-cooked swordfish with eggplant caponata (sweet-and-sour vegetable salad).

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%334 2844098; Castello Aragonese; icon-hoursgifh9am-8pm summer, shorter hours rest of year)

8Getting There & Away

Bus

Buses heading north and west depart from Porto Mercantile. FSE ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%080 546 21 11; www.fseonline.it) buses go to Bari; STP ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%080 975 26 19) buses go to Lecce, with a change at Monteparano.

Marozzi (icon-phonegif%080 5799 0211; www.marozzivt.it) has express services serving Rome's Stazione Tiburtina; Autolinee Miccolis (icon-phonegif%099 470 44 51; www.miccolis-spa.it) serves Naples.

The bus ticket office ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-hoursgifh6am-1pm & 2-7pm) is at Porto Mercantile.

Train

From Bari Centrale ( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza Moro), Trenitalia and FSE trains go to the following destinations:

Bari €8.40, 1¼ hours, frequent

Brindisi €4.90, one hour, frequent

Rome from €50.50, six hours, five daily

AMAT (icon-phonegif%099 452 67 32; www.amat.taranto.it) buses run between the train station and the new city.

THE RICH FLAVOURS OF LA CUCINA POVERA

In Italy’s less wealthy ‘foot’, traditional recipes evolved through economic necessity rather than experimental excess. Local people used whatever ingredients were available to them, plucked directly from the surrounding soil and seas, and kneaded and blended using recipes passed down through generations. The result is called cucina povera (literally ‘food of the poor’), which, thanks to a recent global obsession with farm-to-table purity, has become increasingly popular.

If there is a mantra for cucina povera, it is ‘keep it simple’. Pasta is the south’s staple starch. Made with just durum wheat and water (and no eggs, unlike some richer northern pastas) it is most commonly sculpted into orecchiette (‘little ears’) and used as the starchy platform on which to serve whatever else might be growing readily and inexpensively. For the same reasons, vegetables feature prominently: eggplants, mushrooms, tomatoes, artichokes, olives and many other staple plants grow prodigiously in these climes and are put to good use in the dishes.

Meat, though present in cucina povera, is used more sparingly than in the north. Lamb and horsemeat predominate and are usually heavily seasoned. Unadulterated fish is more common, especially in Puglia, which has a longer coastline than any other mainland Italian region. Popular fish dishes incorporate mussels, clams, octopus (in Salento), swordfish (in northern Calabria), cod and prawns.

A signature Pugliese primi (first course) is orecchiette con cima di rape, a gloriously simple blend of rapini (a bitter green leafy veg with small broccoli-like shoots) mixed with anchovies, olive oil, chilli peppers, garlic and pecorino. Another popular orecchiette accompaniment is ragù di carne di cavallo (horsemeat), sometimes known as ragù alla barese. Bari is known for its starch-heavy riso, patate e cozze, a surprisingly delicious marriage of rice, potatoes and mussels that is baked in the oven. Another wildly popular vegetable is wild chicory, which, when combined with a fava bean purée, is reborn as fave e cicorie.

Standard cheeses of the south include burrata, which has a mozzarella-like shell and a gooey centre, and pecorino di filiano, a sheep’s-milk cheese from Basilicata. There are tons of bread recipes, but the horn-shaped crusty bread from Matera is king.

Basilicata

Much of Basilicata is an otherworldly landscape of mountain ranges, trackless forests and villages that seem to sprout organically from the granite. Not easily penetrated, it is strategically located, and has been dominated by the Lucanians, Greeks, Romans, Germans, Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens, Normans and others. Being the plaything of such powers has not been conducive to a quiet or happy fate.

In the north the landscape is a fertile zone of gentle hills and deep valleys; the interior is dominated by the Lucanian Apennines and the Parco Nazionale del Pollino. The Tyrrhenian coast is a fissured wonderland of rocky coves and precariously sited villages. Here, Maratea is one of Italy's most charming seaside resorts.

But it is inland Matera, where primitive sassi (caves) lurk under grand cathedrals, that is Basilicata's most precious gem. The third-oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, it's intriguing, breathtaking and tragic in equal measures.

History

Basilicata spans Italy's 'instep', and is landlocked apart from slivers of Tyrrhenian and Ionian coastline. It was known to the Greeks and Romans as Lucania, after the Lucani tribe who lived here as far back as the 5th century BC. Their name survives in the 'Lucanian Dolomites', 'Lucanian cooking' and elsewhere. The Greeks also prospered in ancient Basilicata, possibly settling along the coastline at Metapontum and Erakleia as far back as the 8th century BC. Roman power came next, and the Punic Wars between that expanding power and Carthage. Hannibal, the ferocious Carthaginian general, rampaged through the region, making the city of Grumentum his base.

In the 10th century, the Byzantine Emperor Basil II (976–1025) bestowed his title, 'Basileus', on the region, overthrew the Saracens in southern Italy and reintroduced Christianity. The pattern of war and overthrow continued throughout the Middle Ages right up until the 19th century, as the Normans, Hohenstaufens, Angevins and Bourbons ceaselessly tussled over this strategic location. As talk of the Italian unification began to gain ground, Bourbon-sponsored loyalists took to Basilicata's mountains to oppose political change. Ultimately, they became the much-feared bandits of local lore who make scary appearances in writings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1930s, Basilicata was used as a kind of open prison for political dissidents – most famously the painter, writer and doctor Carlo Levi – sent into exile to remote villages by the fascists.

The rugged region's hardscrabble history is perhaps best expressed in Levi's superb 1945 memoir, Christ Stopped at Eboli – a title suggesting Basilicata was beyond the hand of God, a place where pagan magic still existed and thrived.

Matera

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Matera, Basilicata's jewel, may be the third-longest continuously inhabited human settlement in the world. Natural caves in the tufa limestone, exposed as the Gravina cut its gorge, attracted the first inhabitants perhaps 7000 years ago. More elaborate structures were built atop them. Today, looking across the gorge to Matera’s huddled sassi (cave dwellings) it seems you've been transported back to the ancient Holy Land. Indeed, the ‘Città Sotterranea’ (Underground City) has often been used for biblical scenes in films and TV.

Old Matera is split into two sections – the Sasso Barisano and the Sasso Caveoso – separated by a ridge upon which sits Matera’s gracious duomo (cathedral). The sassi, many little more than one-room caves, once contained such appalling poverty and unthinkable living conditions that in the 1950s Matera was denounced as the 'Shame of Italy', and the sassi-dwellers were moved on. Only in later decades has the value of this extraordinarily built environment been recognised.

1Sights

The two sassi districts – the more restored, northwest-facing Sasso Barisano and the more impoverished, northeast-facing Sasso Caveoso – are both extraordinary, riddled with serpentine alleyways and staircases, and dotted with frescoed chiese rupestri (cave churches) created between the 8th and 13th centuries. Modern Matera still contains some 3000 habitable caves.

The sassi are accessible from several points. There's an entrance off Piazza San Francisco, or take Via delle Beccherie to Piazza del Duomo and follow the tourist itinerary signs to enter either Barisano or Caveoso. Sasso Caveoso is also accessible from Via Ridola.

For a great photograph, head out of town for about 3km on the Taranto–Laterza road and follow signs for the chiese rupestri. This takes you up on the Murgia Plateau to the belvedere ( GOOGLE MAP ; Contrada Murgia Timone), from where you have fantastic views of the plunging ravine and Matera.

Sasso Barisano

Chiesa di Madonna delle Virtù & Chiesa di San Nicola del GreciCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%377 4448885; www.caveheritage.it; Via Madonna delle Virtù; icon-hoursgifh10am-8pm Jun-Sep, shorter hours rest of year)icon-freeF

This monastic complex, one of the most important monuments in Matera, comprises dozens of chambers carved into the tufa limestone over two floors. Chiesa di Madonna delle Virtù was built in the 10th or 11th century and restored in the 17th century. Above it, the simple Chiesa di San Nicola del Greci is rich in frescoes. The complex was used in 1213 by Benedictine monks of Palestinian origin.

icon-top-choiceoChiesa San Pietro BarisanoCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%342 0319991; www.oltrelartematera.it; Piazza San Pietro Barisano; adult/reduced €3/2, incl Chiesa di Santa Lucia alle Malve & Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris €6/4.50; icon-hoursgifh10am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar)

Dating in its earliest parts to the 12th-century, Saint Peter's, the largest of Matera's rupestrian churches, overlays an ancient honeycomb of niches where corpses were placed for draining. At the entrance level can be found 15th- and 16th-century frescoes of the Annunciation and a variety of saints. The empty frame of the altarpiece graphically illustrates the town's troubled recent history: the church was plundered when Matera was partially abandoned in the 1960s and ’70s.

WORTH A TRIP

CRIPTA DEL PECCATO ORIGINALE

A fascinating Benedectine site dating to the Lombard period, the Cripta del Peccato Originale ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%320 3345323; www.zetema.org; Contrada Pietrapenta; adult/child 7-17yr/child under 7yr €10/8/free; icon-hoursgifh10am-1pm & 4-7.30pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, shorter hours rest of year) (Crypt of Original Sin) houses well-preserved 8th-century frescoes – depicting vivid scenes from both Old and New Testaments – that have earned it a reputation as the 'Sistine Chapel' of Matera's cave churches. It's 7km south of Matera: group visits must be booked through the website, then joined at the ticket office (at Azienda Agricola Dragone on Contrada Pietrapenta) 30 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time.

Sasso Caveoso

icon-top-choiceoCasa NohaMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 54 52; www.visitfai.it/casanoha; Recinto Cavone 9; adult/reduced €5/3; icon-hoursgifh9am-7pm Apr-Oct, shorter hours rest of year)

Highly recommended as a precursor to visiting the sassi themselves, this wonderful 25-minute multimedia exhibit, spread across three rooms of a 16th-century family home donated to the Fondo Ambiente Italiano, relates the astonishing and often painful social history of the town and its sassi. Your appreciation of Matera's unique history and renaissance, and the tribulations of the sassi dwellers, will be transformed.

Chiesa di San Pietro CaveosoCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 31 15 10; Piazza San Pietro Caveoso 1; icon-hoursgifhmass 7pm Mon-Sat, 11am & 7pm Sun)icon-freeF

The only church in the sassi not dug into the tufa rock, Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso was originally built in 1300 and has a 17th-century Romanesque-baroque facade and frescoed timber ceiling.

Chiesa di Santa Maria di IdrisCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%344 2763197; www.oltrelartematera.it; Piazza San Pietro Caveoso; adult/reduced €3/2, incl Chiesa San Pietro Barisano & Chiesa di Santa Lucia alle Malve €6/4.50; icon-hoursgifh10am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar)

Dug into the Idris rock, this church has an unprepossessing facade, but the narrow corridor communicating with the recessed church of San Giovanni in Monterrone is richly decorated with 12th- to 17th-century frescoes.

Chiesa di Santa Lucia alle MalveCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%342 0919624; www.oltrelartematera.it; Rione Malve; adult/reduced €3/2, incl Chiesa San Pietro Barisano & Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris €6/4.50; icon-hoursgifh10am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar)

Dating to the 8th century, when it was built as the Benedictine Order's first foothold in Matera, this cliff-face church has a number of 13th-century frescoes, including an unusual breastfeeding Madonna. The church originally comprised three aisles, with two later adapted as dwellings.

Casa-Grotta di Vico SolitarioHISTORIC SITE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; €3; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-late)

For a glimpse of life in old Matera, visit this historic sasso off Via Bruno Buozzi. There's a bed in the middle, a loom, a room for manure and a section for a pig and a donkey. You also have access to a couple of neighbouring caves: in one, a black-and-white film depicts gritty pre-restoration Matera.

Museo della Scultura ContemporaneaMUSEUM

(MUSMA; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%366 9357768; www.musma.it; Via San Giacomo; adult/reduced €5/3.50; icon-hoursgifh10am-2pm & 4-8pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, shorter hours rest of year)

The setting of this fabulous museum of contemporary sculpture – deeply recessed caves and the frescoed rooms of the 16th-century Palazzo Pomarici – is as extraordinary as the exhibits. Italian sculpture from the late 19th century to the present day is the principal focus, but you can also see beautiful examples of graphic art, jewellery and ceramics.

THE RESURRECTION OF LA CITTÀ SOTTERRANEA

Named 2019 European City of Culture, Matera has taken huge strides in burying the unpleasant ghosts of its past. In the 1950s and '60s, the town and its ancient cave-houses were ingloriously considered to be the shame of Italy, a giant slum where malaria was rampant and a desperate populace subsisted on or below the breadline. After years of political squabbling, Matera’s inhabitants were eventually evacuated (some forcibly) and resettled in a burgeoning new town higher up the gorge. Neglected and uncared for, the old town and its sassi (former cave dwellings) fell into a steep decline. By the 1980s old Matera was a virtual ghost town, an unholy mess of unlivable abodes.

Help came with a three-pronged attack of film-making, tourism and Unesco intervention. Italian director, Pier Paolo Pasolini was one of the first to put Matera on the map, making use of the town’s biblical landscapes in his 1964 film, The Gospel According to St Matthew. The success of the film and its eerie backdrops inspired others, including Hollywood heavyweights such as Mel Gibson, who arrived in Matera in 2004 to film The Passion of the Christ.

Celluloid fame led to a trickle of curious tourists and this, in turn, fuelled an increasing desire among Italians to clean up the once-dilapidated sassi and showcase their historical value for future generations. In 1993, Unesco gave the town an extra boost when it named Matera’s sassi and rupestrian churches a World Heritage Site. Progress has been rapid since. Bars and restaurants now inhabit once abandoned cave-houses and meticulous restoration work has saved ancient frescoes from almost certain decay.

Priming itself for 2019, Matera meticulously restored its 13th-century cathedral and opened the interactive museum, Casa Noha, which tells the story of Matera's recent past in blunt, uncensored detail. In 2015, the sassi provided a backdrop for the remaking of the movie Ben Hur, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Huston.

New Town

The nucleus of the new town is Piazza Vittorio Veneto, an excellent, bustling meeting point for a passeggiata (sociable evening stroll). It's surrounded by elegant churches and richly adorned palazzi with their backs deliberately turned on the sassi: an attempt by the bourgeois to block out the shameful poverty the sassi once represented.

icon-top-choiceoPalombaro LungoHISTORIC SITE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%339 3638332; Piazza Vittorio Veneto; guided tour €3; icon-hoursgifh10am-1pm & 3-6pm)

This giant cistern, arguably as magnificent as a subterranean cathedral, is one of Matera's great sights. Lying under the city's main square with arches carved out of the existing rock, it is mind-boggling in its scale and ingenuity, and was still supplying water to Materans within living memory. Book ahead for a 25-minute tour with the multilingual guides, who explain its conception and history (English-language tours generally leave at 10.30am, 12.30pm, 3.30pm and 5.30pm).

Museo Nazionale d'Arte Medievale e Moderna della BasilicataMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 25 62 11; Piazzetta Pascoli 1, Palazzo Lanfranchi; adult/18-25yr/child €3/1.50/free; icon-hoursgifh9am-8pm Thu-Tue)

The Palazzo Lanfranchi, built as a seminary incorporating an earlier church in the 17th century, now houses this intriguing museum of sacred and contemporary art. The stars of the show here are Carlo Levi's paintings, including the panoramic mural Lucania '61 depicting peasant life in biblical technicolour. There are also some centuries-old sacred art from the sassi.

CathedralCATHEDRAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 29 08; www.matera-irsina.chiesacattolica.it; Piazza del Duomo; icon-hoursgifh9am-1pm & 4-7pm)

Set high up on a spur between the two natural bowls of the sassi, the wan, graceful exterior of the 13th-century Pugliese-Romanesque cathedral makes the neobaroque excess within all the more of a surprise. Following 13 years of renovation, it's possible once again to admire the ornate capitals, sumptuous chapels, 17th-century frescoes, 13th-century Byzantine Madonna and two 12th-century frescoed crypts, uncovered in the works. Note the pediments mounted on the cathedral's altars, which come from Greek temples at Metaponto.

Museo Nazionale RidolaMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 31 00 58; www.beniculturali.it; Via Ridola 24; adult/reduced €2.50/1.25; icon-hoursgifh9am-8pm Tue-Sun, 2-8pm Mon)

This impressive collection includes local Neolithic finds and some remarkable Greek pottery, such as the Cratere Mascheroni, a huge urn more than 1m high.

TTours

There are plenty of official guides for the sassi – find one to suit you at www.sassiweb.it.

Altieri ViaggiTOURS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%346 6453440, 0835 31 43 59; www.altieriviaggi.it; Via Ridola 61; icon-hoursgifh9am-9pm)

Runs tours around the sassi and rupestrian churches of Matera and the Parco della Murgia, starting from €15 for a 50-minute tour (minimum four people). Altieri also offers plenty of other trips, including hiking and sassi tours by ape calessino (auto rickshaw). Tours usually end with a tasting of typical local products.

EXPLORING THE GRAVINA GORGE

In the picturesque landscape of the Murgia Plateau, the Matera Gravina cuts a rough gouge in the earth, a 200m-deep canyon pockmarked with abandoned caves and villages and roughly 150 mysterious chiese rupestri (cave churches). The area is protected as the Parco della Murgia Materana, an 80-sq-km wild park formed in 1990 and, since 2007, included in Matera's Unesco World Heritage site. You can hike from the sassi into the gorge; steps lead down from the parking place near the Monasterio di Santa Lucia ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Via Madonna delle Virtù; icon-hoursgifh7.30am-1pm & 5-8.30pm). At the bottom of the gorge you have to ford a river and then climb up to the belvedere on the other side; this takes roughly two hours.

Cave churches accessible from the belvedere include San Falcione, Sant'Agnese and Madonna delle Tre Porte. The belvedere is connected by road to the Jazzo Gattini ( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 22 62; www.ceamatera.it; Contrada Murgia Timone; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-2.30pm & 4-6.30pm Apr-Oct, shorter hours rest of year) visitor centre, housed in an old sheepfold. Guided hikes can be organised here, as can walks to the nearby Neolithic village of Murgia Timone. For longer forays into the park, including a long day trek to the town of Montescaglioso, consider a guided hike with Ferula Viaggi ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 65 72; www.ferulaviaggi.it; Via Cappelluti 34; icon-hoursgifh9am-1.30pm & 3.30-7pm Mon-Sat).

Beware: paths and river crossings in the park can be treacherous during and after bad weather.

zFestivals & Events

Sagra della Madonna della BrunaRELIGIOUS

(icon-hoursgifh2 Jul)

This week-long celebration of Matera's patron saint has 14th-century roots. The culminating day, 2 July, begins at dawn with the colourful 'Procession of Shepherds', in which an image of the Virgin is carried through Matera's neighbourhoods. The finale is the assalto al carro, when the crowd descends on the ornately decorated main float and tears it to pieces.

GezziamociMUSIC

(icon-phonegif%331 4711589; www.onyxjazzclub.it; icon-hoursgifhsummer)

Run by the Onyx Jazz Club since 1987, the Jazz Festival of Basilicata brings music to diffuse venues around Matera: not only bars, but the cavernous, acoustically rich sassi and the surrounding Parco della Murgia Materana.

4Sleeping

Matera's unique appeal has seen accommodation options mushroom, across the sassi and the new town. Take your pick: a smartly refurbished sasso, a room in a repurposed palazzo, or something more modern in the new town. Cheaper options can still be found.

La Dolce Vita B&BB&B

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%328 7111121, 0835 31 03 24; www.ladolcevitamatera.it; Rione Malve 51; r €80; icon-wifigifW)icon-sustainableS

This delightful, ecofriendly B&B in Sasso Caveoso comprises two self-contained apartments with solar panels, rainwater recycling, a scenic terrace and cool, comfortable furnishings. Owners Vincenzo and Carla are passionate about Matera and are mines of information on the sassi.

Il VicinatoB&B

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%380 1828935; www.ilvicinato.com; Piazzetta San Pietro Caveoso 7; s/d €60/90; icon-acongifaicon-wifigifW)

Run by Luigi and Teresa, 'The Neighbourhood' is wonderfully located in Sasso Caveoso, in a building dating in parts to around 1600. Rooms are decorated in clean modern lines, with views across to the Murgia Plateau. As well as the standard rooms, there's a room with a balcony and a small apartment, each with an independent entrance.

Locanda di San MartinoHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 25 66 00; www.locandadisanmartino.it; Via Fiorentini 71; d from €134; icon-acongifaicon-wifigifWicon-swimgifs)

The main lure of this Sasso Caveoso hotel is its subterannean termae romanae (Roman baths). Cave accommodation, with niches and rustic brick floors, is set around a warren of cobbled paths and courtyards. Featuring a tepidarium (warm pool), caldarium (steam bath) and other basics of classical Roman baths, the spa is open only to adults, and costs €20.

icon-top-choiceoHotel Il BelvedereHOTEL€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 31 17 02; www.hotelbelvedere.matera.it; Via Casalnuovo 133; d from €134; icon-wifigifW)

This cave boutique looks unremarkable from its street-side perch on the edge of the Sasso Caveoso, but you'll feel your jaw start to drop as you enter its luxurious entrails and spy the spectacle of Old Matera sprawling below a jutting terrace. Cavernous rooms sport mosaics, mood lighting and curtained four-poster beds. Two-night minimums apply in August.

Sassi HotelHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 10 09; www.hotelsassi.it; Via San Giovanni Vecchio 89; d/ste from €119/165; icon-acongifaicon-wifigifW)

Established in 1996 (making it the first hotel in the sassi), the Sassi Hotel is set in a rambling edifice dating in parts to the 16th century. Some of the 35 rooms are set into the rock, and some built above it. Singles are smallish but doubles are gracefully furnished and those with balconies have superb views of the cathedral.

L'Hotel in PietraBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 34 40 40; www.hotelinpietra.it; Via San Giovanni Vecchio 22; s/d/ste from €70/115/230; icon-acongifaicon-wifigifW)

The lobby of this hotel in Sasso Barisano makes sensitive use of a former 13th-century chapel complete with soaring arches, while the nine rock-cut rooms combine soft golden stone with the natural cave interior. Furnishings are Zen-style with low beds, and the bathrooms are super stylish and include vast sunken tubs.

icon-top-choiceoPalazzo GattiniHOTEL€€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 43 58; www.palazzogattini.it; Piazza del Duomo 13; d/ste from €300/480; icon-parkgifpicon-wifigifWicon-swimgifs)

The Gattini is the Matera's plushest hotel, located in the former palatial home of the city's most noble family. And if the nobility of yesteryear could see the palace's 20 luxuriously refurbished rooms today, with their smooth stone walls, quality furnishings and intricate detailing, they'd surely still feel right at home. Prices drop during the week.

5Eating

I Vizi degli AngeliGELATO

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 31 06 37; www.ivizidegliangeli.it; Via Ridola 36; medium cone €2.50; icon-hoursgifhnoon-11pm Thu-Tue)

'The Angels' Vices', an artisinal gelato 'laboratory' on the busy promenade of Via Domenico Ridola, is Matera's best. Alongside classics such as pistachio, you'll find experimental flavours such as grapefruit with pink pepper and thyme and mallow, which taste even better than they read.

icon-top-choiceoSoul KitchenITALIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 31 15 68; www.ristorantesoulkitchen.it; Via Casalnuovo 27; meals €35; icon-hoursgifh12.15-2.45pm & 7.30-11pm Fri-Wed)

If you thought Basilicata was somehow lagging behind the rest of Italy in the food stakes, correct your prejudice with pleasure at Soul Kitchen: this cavernous restaurant with sharp colour accents epitomises Matera's ambitious drive to reinvent its image. Grab a pew on the mezzanine and tuck into recognisably Basilicatan dishes given modern twists, and presented with artistic aplomb.

Osteria al CasaleOSTERIA€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%329 8021190; www.osterialcasale.it; Via Casale 24; meals €30; icon-hoursgifh1-3pm & 8-11pm Thu-Tue; icon-veggifv)

While al Casale's secondi are uniformly meaty, this charming osteria does offer more vegetarian options than most. Antipasti such as sformatino (a 'mis-shapen' dumpling) of eggplant with tomato and basil and primi such as truffle ravioli with Parmesan and toasted pinenuts provide enough options to piece together an excellent non-carnivorous meal.

DedaloITALIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 197 30 60; www.dedalomatera.it; Via D'Addozio 136-140; meals €40; icon-hoursgifh12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm Wed-Mon)

Dedalo's motto 'sensi sommersi' (submerged senses) will either hint at pretension, or indicate the lengths this classy fine diner goes to to wow its clientele. Surrounded by modern art in a softly lit and impeccably stylish cave, you can expect top-notch service and divine dishes such as eggplant agnolotti with tender scottona (yearling beef).

La Grotta nei SassiITALIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 48 91; www.ristorantesassidimatera.com; Via Rosario 73; meals €40; icon-hoursgifh12.30-3pm & 7.30-11.30pm Tue-Sun)

This welcoming little cave restaurant is a great bet for Materan classics and spanking fresh seafood. Try the tuna tagliata, stuffed mussels or orecchiette with turnip-tops, but leave room for dessert. In good weather, choose the small terrace overlooking Sasso Barisano over the cosy twin-chambered interior.

L'Abbondanza LucanaITALIAN€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 45 74; Via Buozzi 11; meals €35; icon-hoursgifhnoon-3pm Tue-Sun, 7-11pm Tue-Sat)

The paradoxical bounty of Lucania's cucina povera is laid out before you in this stone cellar in Sasso Caveoso. For a fantastic introduction to a range of prodotti tipici from the region, start with the Lucanian tasting plate, laden with delights such as wild boar, baked ricotta and a soup of chestnuts with Sarconi's famous beans.

BaccantiITALIAN€€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 37 04; www.baccantiristorante.com; Via Sant'Angelo 58-61; meals €50; icon-hoursgifh1-3.30pm & 8-11.30pm Tue-Sat, 1-4pm Sun)

Baccanti is as classy as a cave can be. The design is simple glamour against the low arches of the cavern; the dishes – perhaps ash-baked potato with stracciatella cheese and crumbled taralli (crackers) or ravioli with pezzente (pork sausage) and beans – make refined use of robust local ingredients; and the gorge views are sublime.

6Drinking & Entertainment

Options for drinking and socialising have mushroomed, along with Matera's renaissance. You'll find wine bars, pubs and enotecas along Via Domenico Ridola, Via Fiorentina, Via San Biagio and Via delle Beccherie, and dotted throughout the sassi.

icon-top-choiceoVicolo CiecoWINE BAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%338 8550984; Via Fiorentini 74; icon-hoursgifh6pm-2am Tue-Thu, from noon Fri-Sun)

Matera's renaissance and new-found relaxed vitality come to the fore at this wine-bar in a typical cave-house off Sasso Barisano's main drag. The eccentric decor signals its friendly, upbeat spirit – retro jukeboxes, a wall-mounted Scalextric track, chairs cut in half and glued to the wall in the name of art, and a chandelier of repurposed cutlery.

Birrificio 79MICROBREWERY

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%328 3587369; Via delle Beccherie 54; icon-hoursgifhnoon-3pm & 7pm-1am)

This diminutive microbrewery spills out onto the adjoining piazza, providing tables, occasional live music and permanent good cheer to help the Black Lake stout and Little John English ale down. Hearty plates (perhaps lasagna with artichokes, or roast-beef carpaccio) provide ballast for longer sessions.

Area 8CINEMA, LIVE MUSIC

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%333 3369788; http://area8.it; Via Casalnuovo 15; icon-hoursgifh7.30pm-midnight Thu & Sun, to 3am Fri & Sat)

This unusual cafe/bar and 'nano-theatre' is a production agency by day, but comes alive four nights a week to host film screenings, live music, product launches and other events beneath its beautiful creamy arches.

7Shopping

Il BuongustaioFOOD & DRINKS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 19 82; www.ilbuongustaiomatera.it; Piazza Veneto 1; icon-hoursgifh8.30am-1.30pm Mon-Sat & 5-8.30pm Fri, Sat & Mon-Wed)

With walls and deli cabinets bursting with preserves, pasta, cheeses, sweetmeats and smallgoods, this is the place to stock up on Matera's prodotti tipici (typical products).

GeppettoARTS & CRAFTS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 18 57; Piazza Sedile 19; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-1pm & 3.30-8pm)

This craft shop stands out among the tawdrier outlets selling tufa lamps and tiles. Its speciality is the cuccù, a brightly painted ceramic whistle in the shape of a cockerel, which was once prized by Matera's children. The whistles were traditionally considered a symbol of good luck and fertility.

8Information

Basilicata Turistica (www.aptbasilicata.it) is the official tourist website with useful information on history, culture, attractions and sights. Sassiweb (www.sassiweb.it) is another informative website on Matera. Quite a few private operators also advertise themselves as tourist infomation offices. They're there to sell tours, generally, but can still give good (if not impartial) advice.

The maps Carta Turistica di Matera and Matera: Percorsi Turistici (€1.50), available from various travel agencies, bookstores and hotels around town, describe a number of itineraries through the sassi and the gorge.

Presidio Ospedaliero Madonna delle GrazieHOSPITAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 25 31 11; Contrada Cattedra Ambulante; icon-hoursgifh24hr)

About 1km southeast of the centre.

Parco Archeologico Storico Naturale delle Chiese Rupestri del MateranoTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 33 61 66; www.parcomurgia.it; Via Dolori 10; icon-hoursgifh9.30am-6.30pm)

Materan office of the Parco della Murgia Materana.

Police StationPOLICE

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 37 81 11; Via Gattini 12)

Post OfficePOST

( GOOGLE MAP ; icon-phonegif%0835 25 70 40; Via del Corso 15; icon-hoursgifh8am-1.30pm Mon-Fri, to 12.30pm Sat; icon-wifigifW)

8Getting There & Away

Bus

The bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ) is north of Piazza Matteotti, next to the subterranean train station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza Matteotti).

Grassani (icon-phonegif%0835 72 14 43; www.grassani.it) For Potenza

Marino (www.marinobus.it) For Naples

Marozzi (icon-phonegif%06 225 21 47; www.marozzivt.it) For Rome

Pugliairbus (icon-phonegif%080 579 02 11; www.aeroportidipuglia.it) For Bari airport

SITA (icon-phonegif%0835 38 50 07; www.sitabus.it) For Taranto and Metaponto

Train

Ferrovie Appulo-Lucane (FAL; icon-phonegif%800 050500; http://ferrovieappulolucane.it) For Bari