Hotel Barbieri

The view from our room balcony. It is a family run hotel and the food last night was just wonderful.

The "Sassi" Caves of Matera

This is a lovely square in Lecce on Sunday and a nice place for a meal.

On Monday we moved from our Hotel to the small mountain town of Altomonte about 200 miles south. On the way there we visited another Unesco World Heritage site the "Sassi" Caves of Matera. These were occupied until the late 50s and early 60s by up to 20,000 people living in absolute poverty. The inhabitants were moved to Council accomodation and then in the 90s the area was given Unesco status. It is ironic but mow the only people who can afford to live in the caves are the wealthy.

Piazza Sant Oronzo

Lecce Cathedral

The local stone is a very soft limestone and this has enabled some very inticate carving to be done on the stonework of the Cathedral

A Day in Lecce

About 90 m inutes from our hotel is the lovely ancient city of Lecce which is nicknamed the Florence of the South. This photograph is taken in Piazzo Sant Oronzo.

The Town Square

This was the lovely town square and I have forgotten the name of the town so will amend the blog later.

Gaye outside the local church