Matera, Alberobello, Bari

About the destination: Matera is the capital of the Matera province in the Basilicata region of Italy. It's home to the sassi, well-preserved rock-cut settlements that are a World Heritage site and one of Southern Italy's many significant attractions. The town centre, the oldest part of town, was built on the edge of a bare plateau where a high rocky mount towers over the spot where a valley descends to the long deep river-ravine. This is where you'll now find the town cathedral and the fairly typical Italian town centre. The town's main historical museum, the Museo Nazionale Ridola, contains exhibits from distant eras of Basilicata's past, from prehistory to the Roman age (closed Monday mornings; a small entrance fee). Nearby, Palazzo Lanfranchi houses the Museo Nazionale d'Arte Medievale e Moderna della Regione Basilicata - an art museum incorporating the Pinacoteca D'Errico, which has lots of religious paintings by southern painters and, more interestingly, the Centro Carlo Levi, which contains a range of paintings by the twentieth-century artist and writer who is a part of this region's modern history.

About the destination: Alberobello is a small town and commune of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. It has 10,735 inhabitants and is famous for its unique trullo buildings. The trulli of Alberobello have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.

About the destination: Despite the fact that Bari is quite a large modern city, it has managed to maintain the unique atmosphere of small towns. In this city, ancient buildings and strict gothic castles sit side by side with new trading centres and restaurants, making Bari even more attractive and elegant. Take a stroll along the narrow streets of the city centre to reach the Cathedral of Bari. Built in the 12th century, its crypt is a masterpiece of Baroque art. In these winding streets, another fine example of Baroque architecture stands, the beautiful church of San Nicola, built a thousand years ago. Castello Normanno Svevo, which was built in 1132, is one of the most notable sights of the city. The Museum of Archaeology is another place of interest in Bari as excavations in the old part of the city haven’t stopped even now, so the museum constantly receives new exhibits. If daytime is traditionally used for leisurely walks in shady valleys, night turns Bari into one lively discotheque. Trendy bars, pubs, and clubs are ready to entertain their visitors until dawn.