Murgia Park In Matera

 I started hiking across the valley from 7:30 am when the temperature was cool; however, the downhill to the river was steep and directly under the morning sun that even my eyelids got sunburned!

The uphill to the other side of the river was not bad, but I chickened out at an anchored handrail portion to continue by myself. I later saw the photos by a couple of the Rick church on the top which I was very close! Anyway, I headed back the same way after hiked 1.5 hours. 

I rested in the hostel for the rest of the day to prepare for Naples and then fly back to Taiwan. I came out again around 4:30 pm to have the last look of Matera, yet I ran into a group of three Italians and took a 30-min local bus with them to see the rock churches I missed. It turned out to be a much easier way to get there with more time to explore the Parco Archeologico Storico Naturale delle Chiese rupestri del Materano, also known as Parco della Murgia Materana (Lit. - Murgia Materana park).  It stretches out across 8.000 hectares and it’s located partly on a rocky plateau and partly on one side of the canyon created by the Gravina stream. Due to its breathtaking view, the Murgia Materana park is listed as a UNESCO World heritage site, along with the Sassi.

“Over one hundred cave churches dot the cultural landscape of the park, some are hidden by dense vegetation, whilst others are difficult to access as they’re dug in the steep banks of the ravines. These churches are often embellished with frescoes.  They usually consist of either one nave (as can be seen in the church of the Madonna della Croce), two naves (Church of the Cappuccino Vecchio) or three naves (church of the Madonna delle tre Porte).”