Matera has a lot going for it – it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, European Capital of Culture 2019 and a cave city dating back over 5,000 years. Tour its historic centre and ancient cave dwellings, try local Basilicata food and wine, then choose to visit the cave house museum or a rupestrian church.

Considered one of the most outstanding and intact troglodyte settlements, Matera's ancient cave dwellings, or ‘sassi', are the city's big draw. Beginning in the historic centre, we'll check out the baroque quarter, known as ‘Il Piano', where churches and palaces are built on top of the caves.

Venture into the neighbourhoods of ‘Sasso Barisano' and ‘Sasso Caveoso' to see ancient ‘sassi' carved into the Gravina canyon and you'll pause for thought in the old quarter of ‘Civita'. You'll also get to try typical food and wine at Panecotto Restaurant, before choosing between an optional visit to the cave house museum or a rupestrian church, cut into the rock.