One of the oldest cities in Europe: why tourists should visit this stunning place in Italy

Popular tourist destinations in Europe are so overcrowded that sometimes you can't see the beauty in the crowds. However, there are still hidden gems on the continent, where stunning beauty has not yet managed to attract thousands of people.

Aimee Bell, a blogger and travel expert, showed such a city on her TikTok. She traveled to the Italian city of Matera, founded in 251 BC, and filmed the spectacular view from the balcony of her rented apartment.

Matera is the center of the province of the same name in the Basilicata region. It is located 370 km east of Rome. It is now home to 60,000 people. In 1993, the old part of the city was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

All because of an ancient monastery and houses carved right into the rocks. Now the area where they are located is called Sassi. Thanks to this architecture, Matera successfully merges with the stunning mountainous landscape.

By the way, archaeologists find evidence that people lived here long before the city was founded. The tradition of building homes in the local caves dates back to the Stone Age, when the first homo sapiens appeared in the area.

The beauty of the city, by the way, was appreciated by the Bond authors. It was here that some of the most stunning scenes of the latest installment of the series starring Daniel Craig, the action thriller No Time to Die, were filmed.

However, some tourists complain that there are few interesting places in Matera besides these old rock houses. Fans of this city say that such beauty is worth seeing with their own eyes anyway.

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