When Carlo Levi penned his acclaimed Italian novel, Christ Stopped at Eboli, he could surely never have conceived that the impoverished town once labelled as “the shame of Italy” would one day become a subject of pride for Italians.

Indeed, should Christ ever visit this near biblical part of Italy, he would be well-advised to bypass Eboli and venture straight to Matera where, budget-allowing, he may care to reserve digs in the unique and luxurious cave hotels for which it has become renowned.