Les meilleurs hôtels à Matera

Situated in eastern Basilicata -- a region forming the arch of Italy's boot -- Matera is famous for its old town called I Sassi (the stones), a cave city carved out of tufa rock. Few of Matera's 50,000 people actually live in I Sassi, however, and many work in the city's growing industrial sector, which is also somewhat unique, given that agriculture has for centuries been the area's economic mainstay. Matera's other attractions include the Church of St. Francesco d'Assisi and the nearby Grotta dei Pipistrelli -- or "Cave of the Bats." The Basilicata Region is Italy's third smallest in population. It is mostly mountainous, with the Ionian and Tyrrhenian (Mediterranean) Seas on its respective southeast and southwest borders. Only about eight percent of Basilicata is still wooded, but the Pollino Forest National Park is a main natural attraction, featuring rare species like wolf, boar and European wildcat. On the wider economic front, Basilicata is Italy's only region where farmers outnumber industrial workers. It's also been a frequent target of development initiatives by the Italian government. Yet, if not luxury, the region offers lovely scenery, as well as flavors and rhythms of an older, rural Italy.