Basilicata may not be the best-known region in southern Italy. I certainly hadn\u2019t heard much about it until\u2014well, until I watched the last James Bond film, *No Time to Die*. And then, right at the beginning of the movie, there was this scene set in a stunning town somewhere in Italy. My only thought was: *I have to go there someday\u2014no matter what!* Well, it took a few years, but this spring the time had finally come. And once again, my intuition proved right. The moment we arrived in Matera and caught our first glimpse of the old town, it quite literally took my breath away. The city is so unbelievably beautiful that I can hardly find the words to describe it. I\u2019ve traveled to quite a few places around the world, but Matera truly is something extraordinary. Even though I usually think the expression is a bit over the top, I was genuinely blown away!<\/p>\n
A Sight to Remember Forever<\/strong> From the hotel, it\u2019s only a short walk to the historic center. Naturally, on our first day we couldn\u2019t bring ourselves to leave it, instead wandering through its narrow streets and constantly stopping to admire the countless picturesque views around every corner. One thing that immediately caught our attention was the suspension bridge spanning the Gravina Gorge (the river itself is called the Gravina), leading across to the ancient cave dwellings. We decided to save that experience for the following day.<\/p>\n We took a relaxing break at the lovely Zipa Caf\u00e9, where we had a perfect view of the lively little streets below. And although Matera is certainly a popular tourist destination, visitors are spread out remarkably well, making it easy to find quiet corners where you can simply stroll and soak up the atmosphere.<\/p>\n A Panoramic Hike Around Matera<\/strong> Heat, Tall Grass, and No Trail<\/strong> A Stonehenge-Like Lost Place<\/strong> Following James Bond Once More<\/strong> Afterward, we visited Altamura\u2019s magnificent cathedral before finishing the day with a \u201cPadre Peppe\u201d hazelnut liqueur at the legendary Caf\u00e9 Roncchi. I can hardly imagine a better way to end such an incredible day.<\/p>\n
\nWe spent three wonderful days in and around Matera. The borders between the regions of Basilicata, Calabria, and Puglia seem almost to blur into one another. Both Pollino National Park stretches across multiple regions, and so do the filming locations from the Bond movie. While Matera itself is in Basilicata, the aqueduct that James leaps from in the film is located in Gravina in Puglia\u2014just as the name suggests, in the region of Puglia. But wherever we went, one thing remained the same: it was simply beautiful. We enjoyed breakfast each morning at Hotel Belvedere. As the name suggests, the breakfast terrace offers an absolutely spectacular view over Matera\u2019s old town. With an excellent buffet and exceptionally friendly and helpful staff, it was surprisingly difficult to tear ourselves away from such a wonderful place and set off on new adventures.<\/p>\n
\nOn our second day, it was finally time for the panoramic hike around Matera. One thing should be said right away: if you want to cross the gorge, you\u2019ll need a ticket\u2014and a pair of sturdy hiking boots. Crossing the canyon in flip-flops isn\u2019t permitted, and honestly, I wouldn\u2019t recommend it anyway. Parts of the trail are narrow, rocky, and quite uneven\u2014but also incredibly beautiful. Walking across the suspension bridge over the Torrente Gravina is an experience in itself. And once you reach the cave dwellings and look back at Matera\u2019s old town, the view is simply unforgettable\u2014a moment that will stay with you forever. The rest of the hike is no walk in the park either, and not just because of the sights along the way. We passed the rock church of San Vito and the ancient ruins of Matera before the trail became significantly more challenging. My goal was another filming location from *No Time to Die*: the Madonna delle Vergini, where James is said to mourn the loss of his former love, Vesper.<\/p>\n
\nThis is where things really started to separate the casual hikers from the determined ones. Up until this point, the trail had been easy to follow. Suddenly, everything changed. The path was almost completely overgrown. We pushed our way through waist-high grass, and I tried very hard not to think about all the ticks that were probably lurking there. To make matters worse, the sun beat down mercilessly on us. Still, we kept going, fighting our way across the fields. After what felt like forever\u2014and with our patience beginning to wear thin\u2014we finally reached the Madonna. Well, almost. The first thing we found was a battered metal sign pointing toward the rock church. I have to admit that the remains of the church itself (essentially only the entrance portal is left to see) weren\u2019t particularly impressive. Still, we could tick it off our list and begin the long journey back to Matera. We were on the trail for quite some time, passing the La Palomba Sculpture Park along the way. To be honest, we didn\u2019t find it especially remarkable. What impressed us much more was an unexpected \u201cStonehenge\u201d just a few hundred meters farther on.<\/p>\n
\nWe certainly hadn\u2019t expected that. We stumbled across what looked like an abandoned quarry and discovered fascinating rock formations that somehow reminded me of Stonehenge. Eventually, thoroughly exhausted and nearly dying of thirst, we reached the modern part of Matera and gratefully collapsed into the first decent bar we came across. It had been a demanding hike all the way around Matera\u2014but an unforgettable one.<\/p>\n
\nOn our third day, we continued tracing James Bond\u2019s footsteps, this time heading for the aqueduct in Gravina in Puglia. Although this meant temporarily leaving Basilicata, it still felt very much like part of the same journey. Gravina in Puglia is, in many ways, a smaller version of Matera. The area around the aqueduct\u2014as well as the rest of the town\u2014is absolutely worth exploring. Better still, it\u2019s nowhere near as crowded, allowing you to wander at your own pace. From Gravina, it\u2019s only a short drive to the \u201cCity of Bread\u201d: Altamura. Naturally, I couldn\u2019t resist visiting one of the city\u2019s oldest bakeries, Forno Santa Chiara. We enjoyed a well-earned break at a shady caf\u00e9 beneath the trees and took one of their delicious loaves of bread with us.<\/p>\n