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.