The Sassi di Matera, meaning stones of Matera, are unlike any other old town. This city of caves perched on the side of a ravine is one of the oldest living settlements in Italy. View cave dwellings inhabited since the Paleolithic. Learn about life in a one-room grotto. Tour rupestrian churches. Hike up and down a hobbit-like hill. Explore ancient and modern museums. Visit three different neighborhoods. The Civita, situated at the top, was the first inhabited area. The south facing Sasso Caveoso offers a harsh look at life in the stones. Sasso Barisano, the largest neighborhood and best renovated, looks east to Bari and boasts streets lined with fancy stores. Not only are the Sassi a World Heritage Site, they are one of Italy's most dramatic attractions.