One of the three oldest cities in the world, Matera has been home to people for 10,000 years.
This beautiful town in the instep of Italy’s boot was once dubbed ‘the shame of Italy’ for its caves that housed the city’s poor and exploited rural workers. The town has since been given new life by the locals (many descended from the original inhabitants).
It is a UNESCO heritage site and in 2019, was named a European Capital of Culture.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/mater-went-from-ancient-civilization-slum-hidden-gem-180949445/