Ancient Cave Dwellings in Italy Transformed Into a Luxury Hotel and Spa; Stephanie Rogers; Dornob

In the southern Italian town of Matera, a system of natural caves called Sassi first inhabited during the Paleolithic Age has become a bustling tourist destination. It’s something of a full-circle moment for the city, which was once called “a national shame” by an Italian politician. Starting as a troglodyte settlement and then becoming home to peasants and artisans during the Middle Ages, Matera fell into squalor by World War II, with an infant mortally rate as high as 40 percent.

Source: Ancient Cave Dwellings in Italy Transformed Into a Luxury Hotel and Spa