Matmata

Homes dug into the earth.

In Matmata, homes go down rather than up. For centuries, Berber families have lived in troglodyte houses dug into the soft earth around a circular courtyard, staying cool in summer and warm in winter.

Some are still lived in, and several welcome visitors. One, the Hotel Sidi Driss, became famous as a filming location for Star Wars in 1977. The landscape around the village is lunar and quietly beautiful.

Highlights

• Troglodyte houses

• Hotel Sidi Driss

• The surrounding landscape

Best for: Architecture, culture, film history

Photo: Krabaa.anis / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0