We docked at Bari, which is neither quaint or picturesque. We took a bus to Bari. This town has a very interesting area called the Sassi, where people have been living in caves continuously for 35,000 years. There are two areas of cave houses, one on either side of the church in this square.

Somewhere around 15,000 people continued living in these cave houses, without any utilities, running water, or sanitation, into modern times. These pics give some idea of how many cave homes there are. The houses are small. Families had up to 11 people. But most of the living was done outdoors, in small plazas. In the 1950s, the Italian government built new houses and forced residents to leave the caves. Most people wanted to stay, but today they are happy to be living in more modern houses.

The area is slowly being repopulated. Residents with money to renovate and modernize the houses can get a 99-year lease from the government. Today, people, retailers, and restaurants are slowly taking over areas closes to Matera. The pictures below give an idea of what these houses were like.