Matera

Matera is a city in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, built into the walls of a deep limestone canyon carved by the Gravina river. Its historic core, known as the Sassi ("stones"), is a dense network of cave dwellings, churches, and stairways cut directly into the rock, inhabited continuously since prehistoric times and considered one of the oldest continuously settled places on earth.

For much of the 20th century Matera was a symbol of Italian rural poverty, its cave homes overcrowded and without basic sanitation, leading the Italian government to forcibly relocate most residents in the 1950s and 60s. That history makes Matera's modern turnaround striking: the abandoned Sassi were slowly resettled, restored, and in 1993 declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2019 the city served as a European Capital of Culture, cementing its shift from cautionary tale to one of Italy's most distinctive destinations.

Spring (April–June)

Spring offers mild, comfortable temperatures well suited to walking the Sassi's stepped stone streets, with fewer crowds than summer and pleasant conditions for viewpoint hikes across the canyon.

Summer (July–August)

Summer is hot, and the stone-heavy Sassi can trap heat during the day; this is also the busiest tourist season, with July 2nd bringing the Festa della Bruna, Matera's major annual religious festival and procession.

Autumn (September–October)

Early autumn keeps warm, comfortable weather with smaller crowds than summer, making it one of the more popular windows for visiting without the peak-season heat.

Winter (November–March)

Winter is cool and quiet, with far fewer visitors than other seasons; the Sassi take on a different character after dark in winter, when many cave facades are lit for the city's well-known Christmas lighting displays.

Matera has no airport of its own. The nearest options are Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, about an hour away and the most commonly used gateway, and Naples International Airport, a longer transfer but with more international flight connections.

By train, Matera is served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL) line rather than Italy's main national rail network, with direct trains connecting to Bari in around 1.5 hours; travelers arriving from Rome or Naples on the main network typically change trains or continue by bus from Bari or a nearby main-line station such as Ferrandina or Salerno.

Driving is a practical option and common among visitors combining Matera with Puglia or the rest of Basilicata, with the city reachable from Bari in under an hour by car. The historic Sassi district itself has limited vehicle access, so visitors typically park at the edge of the old town and continue on foot.

The Sassi district is best explored entirely on foot, and there's little alternative: its stepped, narrow stone lanes and stairways were never designed for vehicles, and much of the historic core is closed to cars in any case. Distances within the Sassi are short, but the terrain is uneven and involves constant elevation change between the upper town and the canyon-side neighborhoods.

• The modern part of Matera, above and around the Sassi, is more standard and walkable or reachable by local bus.
• Comfortable, sturdy shoes matter here more than in most Italian cities, given the worn stone steps and uneven surfaces throughout the Sassi.
• Guided walking tours are widely available and can help visitors navigate the Sassi's layout, which isn't always intuitive to first-time visitors.
• A car is mainly useful for arriving in Matera or for day trips into the surrounding countryside, not for getting around the historic center itself.

The Sassi are divided into two main areas, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, separated by the newer town center built on higher ground above them. Sasso Barisano, generally considered the more restored and commercially developed of the two, has more hotels, restaurants, and shops woven into its cave buildings, while Sasso Caveoso retains a rawer, more exposed feel, with cave dwellings and churches carved directly into the steep canyon wall overlooking the Gravina ravine.

Many buildings in the Sassi aren't freestanding structures at all but caves carved into the soft limestone (tufo) and then built out with a facade, a technique that let residents expand living space over centuries without quarrying new stone. Several former cave homes are now open as museums, giving visitors a sense of what daily life looked like here before the 1950s relocations, complete with furniture, tools, and, in some cases, the animal stalls that shared space with the family.

Matera Cathedral, perched on the highest point of the Civita district between the two Sassi, offers one of the best vantage points over the cave city and combines Romanesque architecture with a later Baroque interior. Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario, one of several preserved cave-house museums, recreates a typical Sassi dwelling as it would have looked when families, along with their livestock, lived in a single cave room.

The Park of the Rupestrian Churches (Parco della Murgia Materana), across the canyon from the Sassi, holds dozens of rock-cut churches decorated with faded medieval frescoes, along with hiking trails offering some of the best panoramic views back across the ravine to Matera itself. Closer to the center, Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris, carved into a rock outcrop known as Monterrone, and Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso, overlooking the ravine, are among the most visited of the Sassi's many rock churches.

Matera has also become a popular filming location - used for biblical Jerusalem in several films, including scenes for "No Time to Die" - and some tours highlight specific filming spots throughout the Sassi for visitors interested in that connection.

Basilicata's cuisine is rustic and closely tied to the land, and Matera's signature product is Pane di Matera, a distinctive, long-lasting bread made with durum wheat semolina and traditionally baked in large loaves marked with a specific pattern; it holds Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. Peperoni cruschi, sun-dried sweet peppers fried briefly until crisp, are a common local ingredient used as a topping or snack throughout the region.

Orecchiette and other hand-shaped pasta appear often, frequently paired with local greens or a simple tomato sauce, and cured meats and cheeses from the surrounding Basilicata countryside, including caciocavallo cheese, are staples of the local table. The region produces its own wines, including reds from the Aglianico del Vulture grape grown around nearby Mount Vulture, worth seeking out alongside a meal.

• Several restaurants in the Sassi are themselves set inside caves, offering a distinctive dining atmosphere alongside the food.
• Bakeries throughout Matera sell Pane di Matera fresh, a good stop for a simple, authentic taste of the local staple.
• Reservations are worth making for well-known cave restaurants, especially in the evening during peak season.

Cave Hotels in the Sassi

Staying in a restored cave dwelling, now common throughout Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, is one of the most distinctive lodging experiences in Italy, with rooms carved into centuries-old rock and ranging from simple guesthouses to high-end boutique properties.

The Modern Town

Hotels in Matera's newer upper town offer more standard accommodation, often at lower prices and with easier vehicle access, while still being a short walk from the edge of the Sassi.

Countryside Nearby

For travelers with a car, agriturismi and rural properties in the Basilicata countryside surrounding Matera offer a quieter base with easy access back into the city for sightseeing.

The Park of the Rupestrian Churches, directly across the canyon from the Sassi, is technically within Matera's boundaries but functions as a half-day excursion in its own right, with hiking trails leading to isolated rock-cut churches and sweeping views back toward the city. Altamura, about 30–40 minutes away in neighboring Puglia, is known for its own historic bread tradition and a well-preserved old town.

The Puglia region more broadly is within reach for day trips or an add-on stay, with towns like Alberobello (known for its trulli, cone-roofed stone dwellings) and the Adriatic coast both roughly an hour or more away by car. Basilicata's own countryside, including the Murgia plateau and smaller hill towns in the province, offers a quieter, less-visited alternative for travelers who want to see more of the region beyond Matera itself.

Matera is generally a safe city, and the main practical concerns for visitors relate to the terrain rather than security: steep, uneven stone steps throughout the Sassi, limited nighttime lighting in some areas, and a layout that can be genuinely disorienting on a first visit. Many streets and stairways in the Sassi aren't signed the way a typical city grid would be, so a map, guided tour, or downloaded offline map is helpful for first-time visitors.

Cash is useful for smaller shops and cafés, though cards are accepted at most restaurants and hotels. Tipping isn't expected the way it is in the U.S.; rounding up or leaving a small amount for good service is appreciated but not required.

• Modest dress is expected when visiting Matera Cathedral and the rock-cut churches throughout the Sassi.
• Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes given the worn stone surfaces and constant elevation changes.
• Confirm current opening hours for cave-house museums and rock churches before visiting, since some keep limited or seasonal hours.

Day 1: Sasso Barisano and the Cathedral

Start in Sasso Barisano, exploring its restored cave streets and shops, then make your way up to Matera Cathedral for views over both Sassi districts. Spend the evening at a cave restaurant for dinner.

Day 2: Sasso Caveoso and the Canyon

Explore Sasso Caveoso, visiting a cave-house museum like Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario and the rock churches of Santa Maria di Idris and San Pietro Caveoso. In the afternoon, cross into the Park of the Rupestrian Churches for a hike with views back toward the city, timed for sunset if possible.

Day 3 (Optional): Day Trip to Puglia

Take a day trip into neighboring Puglia to see Alberobello's trulli or explore Altamura, returning to Matera in the evening.