The latest news from Matera, Basilicata
From Russian Vogue to the New York Times, the word is out. Matera is big news. The reason for all the fuss? A stunning new luxury hotel - although the word "hotel" does not really do it justice - created from the caves of Materas famous sassi - the houses carved from its soft tufa rock thousands of years ago.
Already voted among the 100 best hotels in the world, the hotel, Albergo Diffuso Sassi di Matera, has 19 suites and one of the driving forces behind the project is 42-year-old hotelier extraordinaire Daniele Kihlgren. He has a track record for unusual restoration projects as his last was in Abruzzo where he turned the medieval mountain hamlet of San Stefano di Sessiano into a 40-room albergo rustico.
He met long-time Matera resident, 39-year-old German Margaret Berg, who created the idea for the project, when she contacted him after reading about his Abruzzo project. She had been hoping to turn some of the sassi caves into a hotel for a long time, realizing the potential of Materas UNESCO status, and in Kihlgren she found the perfect investor.
The result is a hotel critics dream, a unique place to spend a few days breathing in the ancient and unforgettable atmosphere that is Matera.
With doubles costing from $370 a night, an irony that could only have Materas ancient and impoverished former residents positively whirling in their graves - it is not for the impecunious. But with Matera itself , the beach, the lake and the beautiful surrounding countryside to explore, the price is well worth paying.
Dont forget you can own a house a short distance from the Sassi as we build unique properties set in five acre plots on the lovely hills surrounding the old city. Look at www.dreamhomesinmatera.com/
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
Four companies from the south of Italy have been awarded prizes for their green credentials in a new initiative to reward environmental innovation, involving the regions of Campania, Molise, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily
The recent Mediterre Exhibition at Bari awarded the Premio all'Innovazione - Amica dell'Ambiente (Innovation Award Friend of the Environment) to the businesses to recognise their green credentials and their cutting edge work in the environmental sector.
The awards are a new idea this year to encourage businesses in the south of Italy to work on technology, products, systems and services which improve the environment of the region.
One of the awards went to Politex sas di Freudemberg in the province of Matera. The company makes Tessuto Non Tessuto (material that isnt material) from recycled plastic including recycled plastic bottles which are collected, washed and then pressed before being turned into the fabric. The resulting material can be used in numerous ways. A truly innovative product that deserves recognition.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
Basilicata may not be immediately synonymous with escalators, but it should be. Because the second longest escalator in the world has just opened in Potenza.
The new escalator system is the longest in Europe at 1.17 kilometres and can transport up to 18,000 people an hour. It is divided into three sections and the ?Santa Lucia? section is 600 metres long and connects the historic centre of Potenza with the rione Cocuzzo.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
Basilicata may not be immediately synonymous with escalators, but it should be. Because the second longest escalator in the world has just opened in Potenza.
The new escalator system is the longest in Europe at 1.17 kilometres and can transport up to 18,000 people an hour. It is divided into three sections and the ?Santa Lucia? section is 600 metres long and connects the historic centre of Potenza with the rione Cocuzzo.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
MUSMA ? Matera?s Museum of Contemporary Sculture is having what is interestingly described as an ?invasion? of presepi ? Christmas cribs - this year.
In fact various artists, sculptors and artisans from all over the world - from Chile and Peru to Poland?will be presenting their interpretation of the Nativity. More than 100 presepi will be competing for your attention in every corner of the Museum. Ettore Consolazione will create his ?presepe giocoso? while Anna Addamiano will be exhibiting her ?presepe-teatro della Notte Santa?. In the Biblioteca Scheiwiller Salvatore Cuschera will be creating 30 little ?cuc-scultura?, his take on Matera?s famous ravine.
The presepi exhibition opens on 12 December 2009 and will remain on display at MUSMA until 2 February 2010.
MUSMA is in Via San Giacomo, in the Sasso Caveoso part of Matera, and is open every day except Mondays from 10 to 14. Visits by groups outside these hours can be arranged by appointment.
www.musma.it
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
The Basilicata region and the comunes of Potenza and Matera have just signed an agreement which will bring 73 million Euros to the two regional capitals. The funds are for the development of the urban network and quality services and come under the auspices of PISUS - Piani integrati di sviluppo urbano sostenibile. (Integrated plans for sustainable urban development).Forty million Euros will go to the Comune of Potenza and 33 million to Matera. All positive signs for a region that is very much on the up.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
Yesterday saw the culmination of five years of work with the inauguration of the first tourist port in the lucano region. The port, which can accommodate small to medium sized coasters is part of the Argonauti Resort, Marina di Pisticci, in the province of Matera.
The tourist port forms part of the Argonauti integrated tourist marine complex which looks out over the Ionian Sea. The new port was designed and created by marine engineers and can take up to 450 vessels with a maximum length of 30 metres.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
We know that Matera is super cool ad now it has been honoured by a visit from Italian President Napolitano and his consort Clio.
The President arrived yesterday and spent an action packed few hours visiting the Cathedral, the stunning sassi houses, the Crypt of Peccato Originale and the Palazzo Gattini before having a splendid feast of local produce at the Prefettura. The President spent the night in a suite with views of the sassi before packing in more culture. He walked to the Musma ? Matera?s museum of sculpture ? and visited a few of the exhibits before visiting the library at Palazzo Pomerici and then Palazzo Lanfrichi to meet local dignitaries.
And the President?s verdict on the Basilicata city? ?Qui a Matera si fanno sempre piacevoli scoperte,? he said. ?Here in Matera there are always new and pleasant things to discover.?
We agree with you Mr President!
http://www.trmtv.it/home/cronaca/2009_10_02/2507.html
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
An American/Basilicata businessman Mike Riezi plans to bring Gaudianello mineral water to the attention of the world, reports the Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno today.
Basilicata has many resources including wonderful mineral water. The forward looking company La Monticchio Gaudianello S.p.A already has a 30 percent share of the whole southern Italian market. Riezi is looking to buy the company and increase its global market.
Riezi is the owner of one of the biggest food distribution companies in the USA Rienzi & Sons and originally comes from Monticchio, in the province of Potenza. He already owns land in Montemilone which is used to produce some of the food products he exports to the USA.
The plans for the mineral water are still being finalised as Riezi will not sign until he has a guarantee that he will get the concession to the company and that a business plan in black and white has been agreed upon. He wants to keep the whole operation in Basilicata and then ?portare l?acqua della Basilicata in ogni angolo del mondo?. (Take Basilicata?s water to every corner of the world.)
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
Matera Masseria Blog > Basilicata Outranks Many Northern and Central Regions in Sole 24 Ore?s ?Quality of Life? Classification
:: 02/10
/ 2009
The newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore has just published its annual list of the quality of life in the 103 provinces of Italy. The classification takes into account eight different factors: education/university, participation in political life and local government, social activities, crime, environment, free time and health. Each factor is given a numerical weighting and then the results are calculated.
The great news is that Basilicata, comprising the provinces of Potenza and Matera has done better than many northern and central provinces placed at positions 30 and 42 respectively. In contrast Rome has plunged to 79th place and tourist favourite Venice comes in at number 70. The poll was topped by Forli ? Cesena while Siracuse came bottom.
Both Basilicata provinces have gone up in the rankings from last year, Matera improving by 36 places and Potenza by 46. This shows a continuing upward trend for the Basilicata region, which is fast becoming a rival to the neighbouring and better known region of Puglia, in terms of the next hot new place to buy.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
Matera has once again been confirmed as the safest city in Italy by the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. The city of the sassi has the lowest number of crimes in Italy and the mayor Emilio Nicola Buccico is delighted by the results of the survey, published last month (August 2009).
Buccico expressed great satisfaction saying the crime rate reflected the importance the city placed on law and order. He added that the combination of constant vigilance by the law enforcement agencies and the use of state of the art surveillance such as cctv helped Matera keep crime low and was invaluabe in its prevention.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am
We?ve some fabulous new photos of the latest completed masseria villas and have just put them online. Take a look here.
Also we have just added a short video with US film director Francis Ford Coppola whose family originate from Basilicata. It?s well worth a look if you don?t know how beautiful the region is.
Posted by Admin | at 9.00 am