MATERA
BASILICATA, ITALY
MATERA
The story of Matera is a compelling one in itself: an abandoned, impoverished town on the brink of collapse (and eventual destruction), only to have been recognized as possessing potential by the Italian government. With an infusion of money, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, and immortalization of its visual appeal by filmmakers (most recently, it stood in for ancient Jerusalem in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, as well as Themyscira, the home of the Amazons, in Wonder Woman, among many others), many more opportunities are coming Matera’s way. And with its status as a European Capital of Culture, the town is set for big things.
Once unfairly named ‘Italy’s shame’ for its cavelike structures—sassi— where its inhabitants lived in poverty, many of these subterranean structures have been transformed into wine cellars and five-star hotels. But don’t bemoan the loss of authenticity, as you will still see un-renovated sassi overgrown with grass right next to other spots that have been developed; you can see the layers of the past still shine through. This isn’t a cookie-cutter, overdeveloped town by any means.
RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNA
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