One of the oldest cities in the world, nature, history and culture come together in Matera

​A place rich in scenery, unique architectural works, and views of incomparable charm, Matera has captivated many artists, including Carlo Levi and Giovanni Pascoli, and continues to enchant it with its Sassi, a World Heritage Site. Worthy of a long visit, it enraptures the heart.

  As the capital of the province of Matera, its original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a complex of cave dwellings carved into the ancient river canyon. Over the course of its history, Matera has been occupied by Romans, Longobards, Byzantines, Saracens, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, and Bourbons.

By the late 1800s, Matera's cave dwellings became noted for intractable poverty, poor sanitation, meager working conditions, and rampant disease.[citation needed] Evacuated in 1952, the population was relocated to modern housing, and the Sassi (Italian for "stones") lay abandoned until the 1980s.[citation needed] Renewed vision and investment led to the cave dwellings becoming a noted historic tourism destination, with hotels, small museums and restaurants – and a vibrant arts community.

Known as la città sotterranea ("the underground city"), the Sassi and the park of the Rupestrian Churches were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. In 2019, Matera was declared a European Capital of Culture. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    (from Wikipedia)

If you want to combine your summer vacation with master classes Matera is a the ideal solution. Being in the most magical place in South Italy, you will live some unforgettable moments spending your time between art, culture, and music and you will be lost in time
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