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Matera
Matera is a stone city with a history of human habitation dating back to prehistoric times, considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world. Its soul lies in the "Sassi" cave dwellings that cascade along the canyon: grayish-white limestone caves nested within each other, descending along the slope. Wandering through the stone alleys of the Sassi district is like entering a labyrinth; around any corner, you might stumble upon a medieval cave church—this area is dotted with hundreds of rock-hewn churches, and places like the Rupestrian Church of Santa Lucia still retain Byzantine-style frescoes. The Cave Dwelling Museum in the Sasso Caveoso district restores the daily life of a family living in a cave in the past, with straw mattresses, stoves, and animal pens arranged as they were in the old days. Hiking through the Gravina Canyon and crossing the suspension bridge to the Murgia Plateau reveals a landscape resembling a wilderness; the Murgia Timone viewpoint faces the entire cave complex and is a popular spot for watching the sunset. This stone city is also a filming location for many movies; "The Passion of the Christ," "Ben-Hur," "Wonder Woman," and "No Time to Die" have all set their scenes here. The Festa della Bruna, which has continued for hundreds of years, is held every midsummer, and the parade of the papier-mâché float is a highly anticipated traditional event in the stone city.Matera · 10m from downtown
Sassi di Matera
Sassi di Matera is a vast, ancient cave settlement carved into the cliffs along the Gravina River canyon. The history of human habitation here dates back to the Paleolithic era, and it is considered one of the earliest human settlements in Italy. The entire cave area consists of two main districts, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso. Dwellings, churches, and even animal pens were carved directly into the soft limestone rock, with roofs often serving as streets for neighbors, and stone houses cascading down the entire valley slope. Historically, local farmers and herders carved caves into the rock face to live in, gradually developing into a permanent village. Due to poor living conditions within the caves, most residents moved to the new city, and the old district fell into decline until it was restored and redeveloped at the end of the 20th century. Today, as you stroll through the stone alleys, you can enter cave dwelling museums that recreate the daily life of farmers from the past, visit hundreds of rock-hewn churches scattered throughout the area—many of which still retain frescoes from the Middle Ages—and find that many caves have been converted into hotels, restaurants, and shops. Because the landscape of the mountain city resembles ancient Jerusalem, it has frequently been chosen as a filming location, with movies such as "The Passion of the Christ," "Wonder Woman," and "No Time to Die" all filmed here. The Sasso Caveoso district is closer to the original cave form, with most of the rock-hewn churches and cave dwelling museums concentrated there, while the Sasso Barisano district has undergone more restoration and has a more orderly appearance. At dusk, head to the Piazzetta Pascoli viewpoint or look back from the Murgia Plateau on the opposite bank; the expanse of caves filling the valley slope in the sunset and lights is an iconic image of Matera.Matera · 564m from downtown
Belvedere Pascoli
Matera · 611m from downtown
Cave House in the Sassi of Matera
Matera · 729m from downtown
Sasso Caveoso
Province of Matera · 711m from Matera
Trulli, Rione Monti
Trulli, Rione Monti is one of the best-preserved complexes of conical stone dwellings in Europe. Trulli are a unique type of dry-stone construction built without mortar, relying solely on limestone blocks stacked in layers, with conical roofs formed by stones corbelled outward layer by layer. This architectural technique dates back to prehistoric times and is still used in the Itria Valley today. Originally scattered across the countryside as farmhouses, animal shelters, or storage for farm tools, Alberobello is where these trulli are clustered together. The town preserves over 1,500 trulli, mainly concentrated in two areas: the Rione Monti district in the south features approx. 1,000 conical-roofed houses, with various handicraft shops lining the streets, and many shop owners invite visitors inside to see the interior structure of the trulli; the Rione Aia Piccola district is smaller and retains a more authentic residential character, with no commercial shops, offering a quieter atmosphere perfect for a leisurely stroll. As you wander through, you will see layers of white limestone walls and gray conical roofs.Alberobello · 54.9 km from Matera
Riserva Naturale San Giuliano
Miglionico · 9.2 km from Matera
Cripta del Peccato Originale
Matera is located in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, and its old city, the Sassi area, is presumed to be the earliest human settlement in Italy, and it was inhabited in the Paleolithic period. Matera has about three thousand habitable caves and one hundred and fifty stone churches. As for the original crypt, you have to leave the city of Matera all the way to the south, through the vineyards and wheat fields.Matera · 6.2 km from downtown
Santuario Santa Maria di Picciano
Matera · 11.7 km from downtown
Casa Grotta del Casalnuovo
Matera · 821m from downtown
Experiences you can't miss in Matera
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Free things to do in Matera
Matera
Matera · 10m from downtownSassi di Matera
Matera · 564m from downtownBelvedere Pascoli
Matera · 611m from downtownCave House in the Sassi of Matera
Matera · 729m from downtownSasso Caveoso
Province of Matera · 711m from MateraTrulli, Rione Monti
Alberobello · 54.9 km from MateraRiserva Naturale San Giuliano
Miglionico · 9.2 km from MateraCripta del Peccato Originale
Matera · 6.2 km from downtownSantuario Santa Maria di Picciano
Matera · 11.7 km from downtownCasa Grotta del Casalnuovo
Matera · 821m from downtown
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What travelers say about Matera
FlyingdumbooMay 27, 2023
5.0
where James Bond movie was filmed. very beautiful town albeit there was not nothing much else to do
Matera
Luigi TariniOctober 3, 2024
4.0
i suggest to go to Belvedere (gps Jazzo Gattini parking) to see Matera from far. time is from 18:00 to night when lights on.
food: lamb and tomatoes. frie pizza with onions is for strong stomAch, otherwise avoid.
Sassi di Matera
M16***76February 17, 2023
5.0
When the weather is good, this place is absolutely beautiful, so my reminder is to make sure the sky is clear before you go, so that the photos will look good. Otherwise, if it is gray, although it is also beautiful, the photos taken will not have that fairy-tale feeling. The photos below were taken on a cloudy day, so the sky is not very blue. This place is definitely worth a visit, especially in the summer. It is very beautiful. There are many special shops, restaurants, cafes and places for handmade leather products.
Trulli, Rione Monti
