Matera - Italy

A troglodyte province in the region of Basilicata, south of Italy, Matera has a small canyon eroded over the years and boasts one of Europe’s oldest prehistoric sites. Only a half-century ago, its inhabitants lived in deplorable poverty. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting tourists from around the world and offering a luxury hotel truly unlike any other. The city preserves many monasteries and churches, picturesque houses dug into the calcareous rock and the Tramontano Castle from 16th century.