Matera, Italian city of Basilicata, is one of the oldest city in the world, where history, culture, nature, meet and mingle creating charming landscapes. Life in Matera has never stopped: it’s the inhabited city since it was built, the city in which, from the Paleolithic era to the present day, you can retrace the history of man who lived here. Matera is a unique city, an extraordinary timeless place. It’s also the city of the famous “Sassi”, the first site in southern Italy declared a World Heritage Site. The Sassi di Matera (literally: “stones” ) are prehistoric cave dwellings in the city. The Sassi are a great example of an architectural complex perfectly matching with the natural environment. This huge sculpture, preserved from the Palaeolithic era to nowadays, shows the way of life in the caves and close to them, from medieval era, modern houses have been built. On 17 October 2014, Matera was declared European Capital of Culture for 2019.