Sassi Di Matera has an unforgettable history. Until the middel of the 1950s, the inhabitants lived in caves without running water, electricity and sewage. It was a place full of poverty, malaria and a high rate of infant mortality. The city was called the shame of Italy.

The grief of the past to this beautiful place is what makes it so interesting and unique to come here. When you know what this place has been through for centuries, you get a special feeling. This city is filled with melancholy. But Matera has a long and rich history that dates far back. Sassi di Matera actually has traces back to the year 7000 BC.

The beauty of the past. Matera has really changed from being the shame of Italy to being it’s beauty.

The contrast between the old caves carved out of limestone, and what they have managed to achieve inside the caves, is incredible. Sober and thoughtful architecture. Tasteful, clean and minimalist hotels and restaurants that are completely unique. Here, the city's history sits in the walls.

The city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, and in 2019 it received the title of European Capital of Culture. And that is for a reason.

Sassi di Matera made my life stop for a moment and just be in the presence of the past. This old city is a beauty that I keep a secret inside.