The ultimate guide to the Stone City — from cave churches and ancient cisterns to the park of rupestrian art across the canyon.
Matera is not a city you simply tick off a list. It is a place that demands, and rewards, exploration. Carved into the limestone cliffs of the Gravina River canyon, the Sassi di Matera represent one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on Earth — people have lived in these caves for around 9,000 years. The city was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, European Capital of Culture in 2019, and has starred in films from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ to the James Bond film No Time to Die. Whether you have one day or a full week, here is everything you should not miss. For timing your visit, check our seasonal guide to Matera.
The two Sassi districts are Matera's heart and soul. Sasso Barisano, the northern side, faces towards Bari and is the more restored and polished of the two — here you will find boutique cave hotels, upscale restaurants, and art galleries set into the rock. Sasso Caveoso, the southern side, retains a more rugged, authentic character. Its cave dwellings are left closer to their original state, and you can more easily feel what life was like for the generations of families who lived here before the government relocation in the 1950s. The best approach is simply to walk — get lost in the labyrinth of stone stairways, alleyways, and hidden courtyards (vicinati). Allow at least 2–3 hours. The panoramic viewpoints along Via Bruno Buozzi and from the Piazza San Pietro Caveoso are unmissable. For a guided walk that provides historical context, local tour operators offer 2-hour Sassi tours from around €15–20.
If you visit only one museum in Matera, make it this one. The Casa Grotta is a faithfully restored cave dwelling furnished exactly as it would have been in the 18th century — and it is a powerful, sobering experience. A single cave room housed an entire family of six to eight people, alongside their mule, chickens, and pig. The bed was a raised stone platform with a straw mattress. Cooking happened over an open fire in the same room. A chamber pot sat in the corner. The Casa Grotta vividly illustrates the extreme poverty that defined Sassi life for centuries — the very conditions that led the Italian government to declare the Sassi "the shame of Italy" and forcibly relocate the population in the 1950s. It is essential context for understanding everything else you see in Matera. Entry is approximately €5, and it is open daily. Located in Sasso Caveoso at Vico Solitario 11.
Perched at the highest point of the Civita — the central promontory between the two Sassi — Matera's cathedral is a striking example of 13th-century Apulian Romanesque architecture. Built between 1230 and 1270, its white limestone façade is decorated with a magnificent rose window and a delicate portal adorned with sculpted figures. Inside, the church has undergone centuries of renovation — the baroque interior reflects a 17th-century makeover, but traces of the original Byzantine-style frescoes remain, including a beautiful 13th-century Madonna della Bruna on the right side of the nave. The cathedral is dedicated to Matera's patron saint, whose feast day (July 2nd) is the city's biggest annual celebration. Entry is free. From the cathedral square (Piazza Duomo), the views over the Sassi are superb.
Carved directly into a massive limestone outcrop known as the Monterrone, this rock-hewn church is one of Matera's most iconic landmarks. Located in Sasso Caveoso, near Piazza San Pietro Caveoso, Santa Maria di Idris dates from the 14th–15th centuries and was built by carving into the rock face. Inside, fragments of Byzantine-style frescoes survive, depicting the Madonna and Child, saints, and biblical scenes. The church is connected by a passage to the adjacent crypt of San Giovanni in Monterrone, which contains more frescoes. The modest entry fee (around €3) contributes to ongoing preservation. The climb up to the entrance is steep but short, and the view from the top is excellent. Combine with a visit to the nearby Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso, a baroque church built right at the cliff edge.
Hidden beneath Piazza Vittorio Veneto in the Piano (the modern city centre), the Palombaro Lungo is a vast 16th-century underground water cistern — and one of Matera's most surprising attractions. Carved out of the limestone rock and lined with waterproof plaster, the cistern held millions of litres of water that supplied the city above. Visitors walk along suspended walkways through the cavernous space, illuminated to dramatic effect. The cistern is about 15 metres deep and 50 metres long, and exploring it gives you a visceral sense of how Matera's inhabitants managed water in the arid Lucanian landscape. Entry is around €3, and guided tours are available. Combine with a visit to the nearby Ipogeo Materasum, a network of underground caves and tunnels beneath the city centre.
There is something profoundly fitting about a contemporary sculpture museum housed in a 16th-century palazzo carved into the Sassi. MUSMA (Museo della Scultura Contemporanea) occupies the Palazzo Pomarici, a noble residence built into the rock in Sasso Caveoso, and displays an impressive collection of Italian and international modern sculpture. Works by artists including Giuseppe Penone, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Arnaldo Pomodoro are displayed in cave rooms, courtyards, and underground chambers — the contrast between ancient stone and contemporary art is stunning. Allow 1–1.5 hours. Entry is €10 (reduced €7), open Tuesday to Sunday. One of the most memorable museum experiences in southern Italy.
On the opposite side of the Gravina canyon lies the Parco della Murgia Materana, an 8,000-hectare protected area that extends the UNESCO site across the ravine. The park is home to more than 150 rock churches (chiese rupestri), many decorated with Byzantine frescoes, scattered across a wild limestone plateau. The landscape is starkly beautiful: deep ravines, scattered Mediterranean scrub, wild orchids in spring, and the unforgettable sight of Matera's Sassi skyline viewed from the far side of the canyon.
The park is crisscrossed by hiking paths that descend into the canyon, cross the Gravina river (seasonally dry), and climb back up to the churches. The most popular trail is the Sentiero 406, which crosses the famous Ponte Tibetano (Tibetan Bridge) — a suspended walkway across the canyon that offers heart-stopping views down into the gorge. The trek takes about 3–4 hours round trip. Wear sturdy shoes, carry water, and start early in summer — the canyon gets very hot. The park entrance is free for walkers, but some churches have a small entry fee. Access is from the Belvedere di Murgia Timone viewpoint, about a 10-minute drive from the city centre, or via the Jazzo Gattini visitor centre. Guided ranger walks are available.
If Matera has a hidden masterpiece, this is it. The Crypt of the Original Sin (Cripta del Peccato Originale) is a small rock church about 12 km outside Matera, decorated with an extraordinary cycle of 9th-century Benedictine frescoes so vivid and sophisticated that they have been called the "Sistine Chapel of rupestrian art." The frescoes, painted in a striking palette of ochre, red, and white on the cave walls, depict scenes from Genesis — God creating the world, Adam and Eve, the Fall of Man — along with images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and saints. The level of preservation is remarkable, and the intimate scale of the cave makes the experience incredibly powerful. Note: visits are strictly by guided tour only, booked in advance through the official website (www.criptadelpeccatooriginale.it). Tours last about 45 minutes. Entry is approximately €10. Located near the village of Contrada Pietrapenta. Book well ahead — groups are limited to protect the delicate frescoes.
About 45 km south-west of Matera, the abandoned medieval village of Craco is a hauntingly beautiful place. Perched on a hilltop, Craco was gradually abandoned through the 20th century — landslides, earthquakes, and economic hardship drove the population away, and by the 1970s it was completely empty. Today, its crumbling stone houses, empty church, and silent streets form one of Italy's most atmospheric ghost towns. Craco has appeared in numerous films, including Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ (as the town of Judas's betrayal), the James Bond film Quantum of Solace, and the biblical epic King David. Guided tours are available and recommended — wandering inside alone is not permitted due to safety concerns. Tours last around 1 hour and cost approximately €10–15. The drive from Matera takes about 50 minutes.
About 40 km west of Matera, the villages of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa cling to the jagged peaks of the Dolomiti Lucane (Lucanian Dolomites) — a dramatic mountain range that looks like it belongs in the Alps, not southern Italy. The villages themselves are beautiful, with stone houses cascading down mountainsides and narrow medieval streets. The main draw for thrill-seekers is the Volo dell'Angelo (Flight of the Angel), a zip-line that connects the two villages across a 1.4 km valley at speeds of up to 120 km/h — one of the longest and fastest zip-lines in the world. For something gentler, hiking trails wind through spectacular scenery. The drive from Matera takes about 45 minutes. Combine with a visit to nearby Pietrapertosa, which sits higher still at over 1,000 metres and shares the zip-line experience.
Start with a guided walking tour of the Sassi (2–3 hours) to get oriented and understand the history. In the morning, explore Sasso Caveoso: visit the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario, the Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris, and San Pietro Caveoso. Lunch at a simple trattoria in Caveoso. In the afternoon, cross into Sasso Barisano, wander the streets, and visit MUSMA for a culture fix. Sunset aperitivo at a panoramic terrace bar. Dinner in a cave restaurant — book ahead.
Morning: visit the Cattedrale della Madonna della Bruna and explore the Civita area between the two Sassi. Then head to Piazza Vittorio Veneto to explore the Palombaro Lungo underground cistern. Lunch in the Piano district. Afternoon: drive or take a shuttle to the Parco della Murgia Materana. Hike the Sentiero 406 across the Tibetan Bridge for spectacular canyon views and visit a couple of rock churches. Return by sunset for the famous view from Belvedere di Murgia Timone — the classic postcard panorama of Matera glowing in golden light.
Morning: drive to the Crypt of the Original Sin (book the earliest available guided tour — 9:30 AM if possible). After the tour, continue to the ghost town of Craco for a guided tour (about 50 minutes from Matera). Return to Matera for a late lunch. Afternoon: visit any sights you missed — perhaps castello Tramontano, an unfinished 16th-century castle, or Chiesa del Purgatorio in the Piano. End your trip with a Lucanian food experience — a wine tasting, pasta-making class, or simply a long, lazy dinner in a cave restaurant. Matera is best enjoyed slowly.
The unmissable attractions are the Sassi di Matera themselves — the UNESCO-listed ancient cave districts of Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso. Beyond that: the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario (a restored 18th-century cave dwelling), the 13th-century Cattedrale della Madonna della Bruna, the rock-hewn Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris, the Palombaro Lungo underground cistern, MUSMA contemporary sculpture museum, the Parco della Murgia Materana with its 150+ rock churches, and the stunning Crypt of the Original Sin. Check our seasonal guide for the best time to visit.
Most visitors find 2–3 full days is the sweet spot. Two days covers both Sassi districts, the cathedral, Casa Grotta, a rock church or two, and a cave restaurant dinner. With three days, add the Parco della Murgia Materana (hiking across the canyon), the Crypt of the Original Sin (book ahead), and a day trip to Craco ghost town or Castelmezzano. Matera rewards slow exploration — every alley reveals something new, and the city's beauty is best absorbed rather than rushed.
Yes — and they are highly recommended. A 2–3 hour walking tour of the Sassi (€15–25 per person) provides invaluable context about Matera's 9,000-year history. The Crypt of the Original Sin is guided-only (book ahead). The Murgia park offers ranger-led walks. Specialised food tours, photography walks, and Craco ghost town tours are also available. During peak season, book guided tours in advance. For a full culinary experience, see our Matera food guide.
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