Dear god, Matera has 180 churches; 40 of which are in the Sassi. My favourite was the Church of Purgatory. Completed in 1747, it's recurring and only theme is that of death. Carvings of skulls, skeletons and crossbones cover the church.

The Sassi reminded me of Fez medina . While the Sassi looks like a mass of houses, the house-like façades are only that, as the 'houses' are dug well into the rock, thereby forming the caves Matera is famous for.

We had an interesting walk around the Sassi this morning with a local guide. However, the guide would not shut up and just drivelled on and on - for half an hour at one point at one spot; and in the sun (hot day). God alone knows what she was talking about. I wandered off in the end to explore a bit on my own and then caught up with the group.

I spent a very pleasant afternoon wandering around the Sassi on my own and sitting in a cafe in a delightful square people-watching.

Tonight we had a group dinner at a local restaurant. Too much food again! What is it with Italians and food? Every time we eat at a local restaurant the food just keeps on coming; and coming. No wonder they take 2 to 3 hours off in the middle of the day as it takes that long to get through all the food.

I'm sick of walking. Feel as though I have walked the length and breadth of Italy. I'm actually looking forward to the long drive to Sicily tomorrow.

It's really pleasant exploring southern Italy as there is a definite lack of tourists.

What I learnt today...
> Many of the streets are built on top of Sassi houses.
> Matera is where'll Gibson's Passion of the Christ was largely filmed.