IMAGINE A CITY CARVED FROM STONE. A PLACE WHERE HISTORY IS ETCHED INTO EVERY WALL. THIS IS MATERA, ITALY’S ANCIENT CAVE CITY. IT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY INHABITED PLACES ON EARTH. A VISIT HERE IS A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME.
MATERA’S STORY IS ONE OF RESILIENCE AND TRANSFORMATION. FROM PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS TO A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, IT CAPTIVATES ALL WHO VISIT. ITS WINDING ALLEYS AND STONE-CARVED CHURCHES WHISPER TALES OF A FORGOTTEN ERA. HERE, YOU DON’T JUST SEE HISTORY; YOU LIVE IT.
THIS GUIDE WILL LEAD YOU THROUGH MATERA’S ENCHANTING STREETS. WE’LL EXPLORE ITS CAVE DISTRICTS, UNCOVER ITS HIDDEN GEMS, AND SHARE HOW TO BEST EXPERIENCE THIS EXTRAORDINARY CITY. PREPARE TO DISCOVER A DESTINATION UNLIKE ANY OTHER.
A CITY OF STONE AND STARS
MATERA’S HISTORY STRETCHES BACK OVER 9,000 YEARS. ITS FIRST INHABITANTS SETTLED IN NATURAL CAVES DURING THE PALEOLITHIC ERA. OVER MILLENNIA, THESE SIMPLE SHELTERS EVOLVED. THEY BECAME A COMPLEX NETWORK OF HOMES, CHURCHES, AND CISTERNS DUG INTO THE SOFT LIMESTONE ROCK. THIS TROGLODYTE SETTLEMENT, KNOWN AS THE SASSI, IS A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF HUMAN ADAPTATION.
FOR CENTURIES, THE SASSI THRIVED. IT WAS A BUSTLING COMMUNITY. YET, BY THE MID-20TH CENTURY, IT HAD FALLEN INTO EXTREME POVERTY. THE CAVE DWELLINGS, SHARED BY FAMILIES AND THEIR LIVESTOCK, LACKED MODERN SANITATION. DISEASE WAS WIDESPREAD. THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT DECLARED MATERA A “NATIONAL SHAME.” IN THE 1950S, ITS 16,000 RESIDENTS WERE FORCIBLY RELOCATED.
FOR DECADES, THE SASSI LAY ABANDONED. THEN, A REMARKABLE REVIVAL BEGAN. IN 1993, UNESCO RECOGNIZED THE SASSI AS A WORLD HERITAGE SITE. IT WAS DESCRIBED AS “THE MOST OUTSTANDING, INTACT EXAMPLE OF A TROGLODYTE SETTLEMENT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.” THIS RECOGNITION BROUGHT INVESTMENT AND A RENEWED SENSE OF PRIDE. TODAY, MATERA IS A VIBRANT CITY. IT BLENDS ANCIENT CHARM WITH MODERN ELEGANCE. ITS POPULATION HAS GROWN TO OVER 60,000, AND ITS STORY OF REBIRTH INSPIRES ALL WHO WALK ITS STONE-PAVED STREETS.
EXPLORING THE SASSI DISTRICTS
THE HEART OF MATERA LIES IN ITS TWO SASSI DISTRICTS. EACH OFFERS A UNIQUE WINDOW INTO THE CITY’S PAST. THEY ARE A LABYRINTH OF NARROW STREETS, STEEP STAIRCASES, AND HIDDEN COURTYARDS. EXPLORING THEM IS AN ADVENTURE IN ITSELF.
SASSO CAVEOSO
SASSO CAVEOSO FEELS LIKE STEPPING INTO ANOTHER TIME. THIS SOUTHERN DISTRICT IS THE LESS DEVELOPED OF THE TWO. IT RETAINS A RAW, ANCIENT CHARACTER. ITS CAVE DWELLINGS CLING TO THE EDGE OF A DRAMATIC RAVINE. HERE, YOU CAN TRULY APPRECIATE THE CITY’S TROGLODYTE ORIGINS. THE HOMES SEEM TO GROW DIRECTLY OUT OF THE ROCK. IT’S A POWERFUL AND HUMBLING SIGHT.
SASSO BARISANO
TO THE NORTH LIES SASSO BARISANO. THIS DISTRICT IS MORE DEVELOPED AND RESTORED. IT IS HOME TO MANY ELEGANT HOTELS, ARTISAN SHOPS, AND FINE RESTAURANTS. WHILE IT SHARES THE SAME CAVE-LIKE STRUCTURE, THE FACADES ARE MORE ELABORATE. HERE, YOU CAN WANDER THROUGH BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED SPACES. IT OFFERS A GLIMPSE INTO MATERA’S MODERN RENAISSANCE.
MATERA’S MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS
BEYOND ITS CAPTIVATING STREETS, MATERA HOLDS TREASURES WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED. EACH SITE TELLS A PART OF THE CITY’S INCREDIBLE STORY.
- RUPESTRIAN CHURCHES: MATERA IS HOME TO OVER 150 CHURCHES CARVED FROM ROCK. THESE SACRED SPACES ARE ARCHITECTURAL MARVELS. PILLARS AND ALTARS WERE NOT BUILT, BUT RATHER REVEALED BY EXCAVATING THE SURROUNDING STONE. THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY OF IDRIS IS A MUST-SEE. IT IS BUILT INTO A LARGE MONOLITH AND FEATURES STUNNING 12TH-CENTURY FRESCOES.
- MATERA CATHEDRAL: PERCHED AT THE HIGHEST POINT BETWEEN THE TWO SASSI DISTRICTS, THE CATHEDRAL IS A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF PUGLIAN ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE. BUILT IN THE 13TH CENTURY, ITS FORTRESS-LIKE EXTERIOR GIVES WAY TO A RICHLY DECORATED INTERIOR. THE VIEWS FROM THE PIAZZA ARE BREATHTAKING.
- PALOMBARO LUNGO: DISCOVER MATERA’S “CATHEDRAL OF WATER.” THIS VAST UNDERGROUND CISTERN ONCE SUPPLIED THE ENTIRE CITY. WALKING THROUGH ITS CAVERNOUS, ARCH-SUPPORTED CHAMBERS IS AN AWE-INSPIRING EXPERIENCE. IT SHOWCASES THE INCREDIBLE INGENUITY OF MATERA’S EARLY INHABITANTS.
- MURGIA MATERANA PARK: ACROSS THE RAVINE FROM THE SASSI LIES THIS BEAUTIFUL NATURAL PARK. IT IS DOTTED WITH PREHISTORIC CAVES AND ANCIENT ROCK CHURCHES. A HIKE HERE OFFERS STUNNING PANORAMIC VIEWS OF MATERA. IT’S THE PERFECT SPOT TO WATCH THE SUNSET PAINT THE CITY IN GOLDEN LIGHT.
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
A TRIP TO MATERA REQUIRES A BIT OF PLANNING. ITS UNIQUE LANDSCAPE PRESENTS BOTH CHARM AND CHALLENGES.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
THE IDEAL TIME TO VISIT IS DURING THE SHOULDER SEASONS. SPRING (APRIL-JUNE) AND EARLY AUTUMN (SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER) OFFER PLEASANT WEATHER. THE SUMMER MONTHS CAN BE VERY HOT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO EXPLORE DURING THE DAY.
GETTING TO MATERA
THE NEAREST AIRPORT IS IN BARI (BRI). FROM THERE, YOU CAN RENT A CAR, TAKE A BUS, OR ARRANGE A PRIVATE TRANSFER. THE DRIVE TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR. A TRAIN IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM BARI TO MATERA, WHICH TAKES AROUND 90 MINUTES.
GETTING AROUND
ONCE YOU ARRIVE, THE BEST WAY TO EXPLORE MATERA IS ON FOOT. THE SASSI ARE A RESTRICTED TRAFFIC ZONE (ZTL). BE PREPARED FOR MANY STAIRS AND UNEVEN STONE PATHS. COMFORTABLE SHOES ARE ESSENTIAL. THE CITY IS BUILT ON TEN LEVELS, SO EVERY WALK IS A DISCOVERY.
MATERA’S MODERN TRANSFORMATION
MATERA’S JOURNEY FROM “SHAME” TO FAME IS TRULY INSPIRING. ITS DESIGNATION AS THE 2019 EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE MARKED A MAJOR MILESTONE. THIS HONOR CELEBRATED ITS UNIQUE HISTORY AND VIBRANT CULTURAL SCENE. THE CITY CAME ALIVE WITH ART INSTALLATIONS, PERFORMANCES, AND EVENTS.
HOLLYWOOD HAS ALSO BEEN CAPTIVATED BY MATERA’S TIMELESS BEAUTY. ITS ANCIENT LANDSCAPE HAS PROVIDED THE BACKDROP FOR MANY FILMS. MEL GIBSON’S THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST WAS FAMOUSLY FILMED HERE. MORE RECENTLY, IT APPEARED IN THE JAMES BOND FILM NO TIME TO DIE. THIS EXPOSURE HAS INTRODUCED MATERA TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE.
TODAY, YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THIS TRANSFORMATION FIRSTHAND. STAY IN A LUXURIOUS CAVE HOTEL, WHERE ANCIENT STONE WALLS MEET MODERN DESIGN. DINE IN A RESTAURANT CARVED INTO A CLIFFSIDE. MATERA IS A CITY THAT HONORS ITS PAST WHILE EMBRACING THE FUTURE.
YOUR TIMELESS ITALIAN JOURNEY
MATERA IS MORE THAN JUST A DESTINATION. IT IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT STAYS WITH YOU LONG AFTER YOU LEAVE. ITS STORY OF SURVIVAL AND REBIRTH IS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT’S RESILIENCE. WALKING THROUGH ITS ANCIENT STREETS, YOU FEEL A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE COUNTLESS GENERATIONS WHO HAVE CALLED THIS PLACE HOME.
ARE YOU READY TO DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF MATERA FOR YOURSELF? LET US HELP YOU CRAFT AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY. WE CAN ARRANGE A PRIVATE GUIDE TO UNVEIL THE CITY’S SECRETS. OR SECURE A RESERVATION AT A SOUGHT-AFTER CAVE HOTEL.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION’S
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT MATERA?
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MATERA IS DURING THE SPRING (APRIL TO JUNE) AND FALL (SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER) WHEN THE WEATHER IS MILD, AND THE CITY IS LESS CROWDED. SUMMERS CAN BE QUITE WARM, WHILE WINTERS ARE QUIETER WITH A CHARM OF THEIR OWN.
HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD I PLAN TO STAY IN MATERA?
A STAY OF TWO TO THREE DAYS IS IDEAL FOR EXPLORING MATERA’S KEY ATTRACTIONS, SUCH AS THE SASSI DISTRICTS, ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES, AND MUSEUMS. HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL TIME WILL ALLOW YOU TO FULLY IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE CITY’S HISTORY AND CULTURE.
ARE PRIVATE GUIDES AVAILABLE FOR TOURS IN MATERA?
YES, WE CAN ARRANGE KNOWLEDGEABLE PRIVATE GUIDES WHO WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF MATERA’S HISTORY AND ITS HIDDEN TREASURES. CUSTOMIZABLE TOURS ARE AVAILABLE TO SUIT YOUR INTERESTS AND SCHEDULE.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT STAYING IN A CAVE HOTEL?
STAYING IN A CAVE HOTEL OFFERS A ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE, ALLOWING YOU TO CONNECT WITH THE ANCIENT TRADITIONS OF MATERA. THESE ACCOMMODATIONS SEAMLESSLY COMBINE HISTORY WITH MODERN COMFORTS, MAKING YOUR STAY TRULY UNFORGETTABLE.
MATERA IS ACCESSIBLE MAINLY BY ROAD. THE NEAREST AIRPORT IS BARI KAROL WOJTYŁA AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 65 KILOMETERS AWAY. FROM THERE, YOU CAN RENT A CAR, TAKE A BUS, OR ARRANGE A PRIVATE TRANSFER TO REACH THE CITY. WE’RE HAPPY TO ASSIST WITH TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS.
