Matera is likely the most well known and visited of Italy’s cities carved into stone, but it’s far from being the only one. The Basilicata beauty has experienced a cultural Renaissance in recent years, also thanks to its role of European Capital of Culture in 2019, and it is today a popular tourist destination, movie set and artistic hub.

There are others you may know: Ischia, perched on top of a rocky cliff, Manarola and Positano, that developed on the steep slopes of seaside hills, and of course Amalfi, ancient Reppublica Marinara built as an embrace around a cliff that dominates the Tyrrhenian.