A stroll through Matera, Italy makes the case for pedestrian-first cities

In 2019, Matera will be the European Union’s Capital of Culture, and the community expects tourism to increase from an annual 200,000 to 600,000 visitors. One of the town’s biggest challenges will be how it moves its population and all those tourists around.

The automobile is the best way to navigate Basilicata’s gorgeous countryside, and long trips to nearby towns such as Montescaglioso and Miglionico are usually made by car. Here, modern drivers adapt to the previous transportation footprint; the main road into Matera is the SS7, which runs directly on top of the Via Appia, built by the Romans.