Carved directly into the limestone canyon of the Gravina River, Matera is unlike anywhere else on earth. We spent a couple of incredible days exploring the prehistoric cave dwellings of the Sassi—and as you can probably guess, our biggest excuse for coming was seeing where the iconic opening sequence of James Bond's No Time to Die was filmed. Did we spend our days scouting film locations and pretending to be 007 on an undercover mission around every corner? Of course we did!
Beyond the Hollywood thrill, the sheer scale and ancient depth of the city made it one of the most unforgettable stops of our entire Italian journey.
Highlights from a few days in Matera
Walking in James Bond's Footsteps: We spent hours tracking down the exact stone alleys, stepped inclines, and sweeping vistas featured in the Aston Martin chase scene from No Time to Die. Navigating the narrow stone ramps beneath Piazza Duomo and peering over dramatic drops into the ravine, we couldn't resist striking classic 007 poses and framing cinematic shots that looked straight out of the film.
The Ancient Sassi (Barisano & Caveoso): Beyond the spy thrill, the history was genuinely staggering. Wandering through thousands of years of layered history—where ancient cave homes, carved stone churches, and modern doors are built directly atop one another—felt like stepping onto a living set piece from another era.
The Raw Gravina Gorge: Standing along the cliff edges, looking straight down into the rocky gorge and across to the prehistoric caves of the Murgia plateau. The stark, barren limestone cliffs provided an epic, rugged backdrop for wide landscape photography and dramatic portrait framing.
Matera After Dark: When the sun went down, the city took on an entirely different energy. Illuminated by hundreds of soft lanterns and warm spotlights tucked into the rock face, the entire valley glowed like a sprawling constellation of stone, making evening walks through the labyrinth completely magical.
