MAGICAL MATERA
WOMAN'S OWN|July 31, 2023
Ancient wonders, great food and a visit from James Bond have put this Italian city firmly on the map
ZOE WEST
MAGICAL MATERA

WHY GO?

Rarely does a place render you speechless, but Matera, a time-worn stone city in the lesser-known Italian region of Basilicata, has the power to do just that. The honeycomb of cave houses, rock churches and cobbled streets carved chaotically into a rocky outcrop is otherworldly – and it deserves a spot on your travel bucket list.

FROM SHAME TO FAME

Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993, Matera became the first protected landscape in Western Europe – no small feat for a city that, only 70 years ago, was branded the shame of Italy thanks to widespread poverty and disease. At that time all its residents were relocated, deemed to be living in a state of emergency, leaving the city dormant for the first time since prehistory. So, how did this crumbling place go on to make a dramatic appearance in the latest James Bond film No Time to Die?

OLD-WORLD APPEAL

Denne historien er fra July 31, 2023-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July 31, 2023-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA WOMAN'S OWNSe alt
FAST & THRIFTY DINNERS
WOMAN'S OWN

FAST & THRIFTY DINNERS

Filling family meals to save you time and money

time-read
3 mins  |
January 06, 2025
ARE VIRAL FITNESS TRENDS WORTH THE HYPE?
WOMAN'S OWN

ARE VIRAL FITNESS TRENDS WORTH THE HYPE?

Keen to know if the workouts she sees online can actually make her fitter, Rachel Tompkins, 44, gives them a try

time-read
4 mins  |
January 06, 2025
GO OUT OF SEASON
WOMAN'S OWN

GO OUT OF SEASON

While some European cities seem to go into hibernation over winter, others just get better in the colder months

time-read
2 mins  |
January 06, 2025
MY LIFE IN MUSIC
WOMAN'S OWN

MY LIFE IN MUSIC

Monica Cafferky, 55, reveals how certain tunes bring back special memories

time-read
2 mins  |
January 06, 2025
THE DECISION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
WOMAN'S OWN

THE DECISION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

After trying diets without success, Breanne Concannon, 31, was left feeling hopeless

time-read
5 mins  |
January 06, 2025
MY TOY ΒΟΥ KEEPS ME YOUNG
WOMAN'S OWN

MY TOY ΒΟΥ KEEPS ME YOUNG

For Trish Hughes, 44, the thrills of being married to a man 20 years younger is worth all the judgement

time-read
4 mins  |
January 06, 2025
'THAT'S NOT MY BABY'
WOMAN'S OWN

'THAT'S NOT MY BABY'

Lying in the hospital bed, my husband Michael had tears of happiness in his eyes as he showed me a photo on his phone. 'Here she is,' he said proudly. 'This is our beautiful baby girl.'I stared at the photo and shook my head. 'No, that's not my baby,' I said. 'There must be a mistake.'It was August 2010 and I'd not long before had an emergency caesarean. I'd not had a chance to see Winnie when she arrived as she'd been whisked away for tests because she was nearly two months premature.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 06, 2025
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
WOMAN'S OWN

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Hayley, 45, has her son to thank for crucial evidence

time-read
5 mins  |
January 06, 2025
'I'D LOVE TO DO EASTENDERS'
WOMAN'S OWN

'I'D LOVE TO DO EASTENDERS'

Loose Women's Linda Robson on the daytime show, dating and her next career move

time-read
3 mins  |
January 06, 2025
Beckhams INSIDE THEIR PROPERTY EMPIRE
WOMAN'S OWN

Beckhams INSIDE THEIR PROPERTY EMPIRE

We take a look at the power couple's posh pads

time-read
2 mins  |
January 06, 2025