Truly unique

The trip to Italy with my 15 year old daughter was planned as a way of building her Italian language skills - and for me a chance to restock the cellar. We’d pick up a car at Florence and travel south as far as Naples.

That was the plan anyway, until my daughter studied the map and pointed to an area on the ‘heel’ of Italy. “Can we go there?”

I looked at where she was pointing. It seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, and a good distance from the wineries of Chianti.

“Matera,” she said. “Mel Gibson filmed Passion of Christ there. It’s a cool place.”

A little research showed that it has more claim to fame than being a backdrop for some Hollywood production. Dating from the time of the Troglodytes, one source claimed that some houses are so old that they have been continually inhabited by successive generations of one family for more than a thousand years. The area was first settled by the Troglodytes in the Palaeolithic time, making it one of the oldest settlements in Italy. The town now known as Matera was apparently founded by the Romans in the 3rd century BC. Other facts whet my appetite to see this fascinating area, so Matera was added to the agenda. And I’m so glad it was.

The old town, the Sassi di Matera (meaning Stones of Matera) is unbelievable. Built in a steep ravine to escape the notice of unwelcome visitors, houses were carved directly into the cliff face. Windows and doorways are hewn into the rock. The roof of one level of houses forms the road for the next level up. Little wonder that UNESCO declared this area a World Heritage Site. It is simple awesome.

And as amazing as it is, we learnt of a hotel that was operating in the sassi. Consisting of 29 rooms carved into the rock – who knows when - the Locanda di San Martino is as unexpected and surprising as the village.

Leaving the car in the town we walked into the sassi and after many false turns arrived at hotel reception. Check in was efficient and welcoming after which we were led to our room. Our room - dell'Alchimista - had a brick floor, air conditioning, two bedrooms, sitting room and modern bathroom. The view from our doorway across the ravine and the rooftops was stunning. All this, plus breakfast for 150 Euro per night.

Breakfast was the best we had during our 30 days in Italy. Italians don’t really care for breakfast, generally getting by on coffee and perhaps a brioche. The Locanda di San Martino provided lovely frittatas, fruit, pastries, cold meats and cheeses, and excellent cappuccino.

This hotel - part Troglodyte, part modern day – is truly unique. Location in this lovely village is superb, service is as good as the best, and it’s great value. My suggestion is to leave the car in a park in the town which is quite cheap as you don’t want to drive in the sassi – or I didn’t anyway. The hotel offers valet parking at 15 Euro per day.

There are great little restaurants close by in either the old village or up in the town. My daughter particularly enjoyed one restaurant near the piazza where she was the attention of our waiter. A nice boy but far too handsome.

Go to see this remarkable village and stay for the hotel. You won’t experience anything like it anywhere else.

Submitted by Drew Channing - 11 Aug 2008