I was recently part of a group (visiting Matera) which had Maria Grottola as our tour guide.
She was wonderful – she explained the history of the region very clearly and answered our questions comprehensively. Her knowledge is extensive and her command of English is impressive.
Thank-you very much, Maria!
THANK YOU Maria for the beautiful day discovering the Murge and Matera
This was a great way to tour Matera. Maria had a lot of information to share on what turned into almost 3 hour tour. And it was a good work out too!
“Little science distances us from God, a lot of science brings us closer to God” (Luis Pasteur). It’s the quote I was looking for this morning when we touched on the topic of faith. We agree on one thing: it has nothing to do with wars and religions. For me, faith is the burning desire you feel to get on your knees, as soon as you enter the rock church of San Nicola, in front of the marvelous image of Christ who has scrutinized the souls of who knows how many and which faithful for centuries and centuries. And it’s still there, clear, almost real, breathtaking! Faith is perceiving the fragility of a person you meet, like a tour guide, and feeling the desire to pray for them with the certainty that these prayers are heard. Faith is the joy and profound peace that is felt in knowing that beyond reason there is much, much more. I wanted to say thank you again for the beautiful morning. I have the impression of having entered the heart of your land. I discovered a new, well-rooted facet that enriches it even more. Thank you!
A special guide for a special place!
We came to southern Italy in search of rupestrian churches and the history underlying them. We were so lucky to find Maria Grottola. She has a nuanced understanding of the complicated local history. From neolithic times through the fall of the Roman Empire, the domination of Byzantium, the Lombards, Normans and many more – Maria explained the many layers of history as we literally walked through them. The churches themselves are extremely moving, both pictorially as well as their combination of fragility, decay and ultimate endurance in the face of weather, re-use and abandonment. The walls of the churches literally weep with moisture, are often covered with flies, while the serene images of these beloved saints peer out through the gloom. We are very grateful to Maria for her passion and knowledge, as well as her flexibility with our schedule and our transportation (we were on bicycles). She really made our trip special.
Having Maria as a guide made all the difference!
We spent a morning exploring the area caves with our guide, Maria Grottola. Maria was very knowledgeable about the history of the region and its plants as well as about the caves. We had never hired a guide before and were hesitant, but we definitely had a better experience with Maria. She doesn’t have a standard patter with one-liners thrown in. Instead she gives you as much information about the caves and their art as you can absorb. She has studied the history of the area as well as the art and the knowledge she shared informed the rest of out trip as well. We were a group of three, with Italian skills varying from miniascule to beginner. Maria’s English was excellent but she was also patient with our attempts at speaking Italian. If you want to learn more about what you’re seeing, hire Maria
Thank you for the beautiful excursion and for telling us about your land with passion and frank competence. We’ve learned a lot and feel like we love her a little more.
Thank you for the beautiful and exhaustive visit yesterday… I could have gone on forever!
It was a great pleasure to follow you on your historical wanderings, your adventurous exploration and the lovely chats we had! Thanks again, we will carry this day in our hearts for a long time… it will be useful in the foggy days that await us!
Sara & Family
An exceptional guide, Maria, first of all a researcher, and then a tourist guide. Thank you Maria, you were the guide I always dreamed of meeting, not the “usual” guide!
