Cidade Turismo
Italy

Before you go

Your trip to Matera.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Matera – Basilicata Destination Apúlia and Matera

How to get there

  • Aeroporto di Bari Karol Wojtyła (BRI) Bari · 65 km
  • Matera Centrale 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before booking. You get there via Bari airport (BRI), about 65 km away, with direct buses to Matera. From Rome take a train to Bari. From Bari Centrale station, Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL) trains reach Matera Centrale in around 1h30, some with a change in Altamura; there are also buses from Bari.

How many days

One day is enough to see both Sassi, the cathedral and one or two rock churches. With two days you can visit museums, the Palombaro Lungo, the Murgia viewpoint and the Cripta del Peccato Originale. Staying overnight in Matera lets you see the Sassi illuminated at night.

When to go

From April to June and from September to October the weather is usually good for walking the stairways. Summer, from June to August, is hot and the stone reflects the heat; in winter, from December to February, it is cold and can be windy. On July 2 the Festa della Bruna, the patron saint's festival, takes place.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

Not for the Sassi, which are pedestrian-only, with steps and slopes. The center has a ZTL (limited traffic zone): leave the car in parking outside it. A car is useful for the Cripta del Peccato Originale and the Murgia Timone viewpoint, which are outside the town.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Matera
  1. Morning
    Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Sasso Barisano

    Start at Piazza Vittorio Veneto, above the Palombaro Lungo, and view Sasso Barisano from the lookout. Descend the neighborhood's stairways and visit the rock church of San Pietro Barisano.

  2. Afternoon
    Civita and cathedral

    Climb up to the Civita, the rock between the two Sassi, and enter the 13th‑century Romanesque cathedral. Have lunch between 12:30 and 14:30; try Matera bread and crapiata, a legume soup.

  3. Late afternoon
    Sasso Caveoso

    Head to Sasso Caveoso: San Pietro Caveoso, Santa Maria de Idris atop the Monterrone, Santa Lucia alle Malve and the Casa Grotta of Vico Solitario.

  4. Evening
    Sassi illuminated

    At dusk, see the Sassi illuminated from a viewpoint, such as the Piazzetta Pascoli. Dinner starts around 19:30–20:00.

2 days in Matera

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Sasso Barisano and Palombaro Lungo

    Visit the Palombaro Lungo, the large cistern beneath Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Then descend to Sasso Barisano and San Pietro Barisano.

  2. Afternoon
    Cathedral and MUSMA

    Visit the cathedral in the Civita and, after lunch, the MUSMA, a sculpture museum set in caves and in the Palazzo Pomarici.

  3. Late afternoon
    Sasso Caveoso and Casa Grotta

    Walk through Sasso Caveoso with the rock churches of Santa Maria de Idris and Santa Lucia alle Malve and the Casa Grotta.

  4. Evening
    Viewpoint and dinner

    Have dinner in the Sassi and stop by the Piazzetta Pascoli to see the city lit up.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Cripta del Peccato Originale

    By reservation, visit the Cripta del Peccato Originale, about 14 km away, with frescoes from the 8th and 9th centuries. A car or transfer is required.

  2. Afternoon
    Palazzo Lanfranchi

    Return to town and visit the Palazzo Lanfranchi, home to the national museum of medieval and modern art, featuring the panel Lucania '61 by Carlo Levi.

  3. Late afternoon
    Murgia Timone viewpoint

    Drive across to the Parco della Murgia Materana and view the Sassi from the other side of the ravine, at the Belvedere di Murgia Timone.

  4. Evening
    Last stroll through the Sassi

    Return for dinner in the Civita and take one last walk along the lit narrow streets.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to get from Bari to Matera?

By Ferrovie Appulo Lucane train, departing from the station next to Bari Centrale, in about 1h30; some services require a change in Altamura. There are also buses from the city and Bari airport. By car it's about 65 km.

What are the Sassi?

They are Matera's two historic neighborhoods, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, made up of houses, churches and cisterns hewn into the rock. They were emptied in the 1950s and today contain homes, hotels, restaurants and museums.

Can you make a day trip from Bari?

Yes, with a full day. But staying overnight in Matera allows you to see the Sassi at night and visit the rock churches at a relaxed pace.

Is it difficult to walk around the Sassi?

There are many stone steps and slopes, which become slippery in rain. Wear closed, comfortable shoes. Those with mobility difficulties should choose accommodation with street access and plan routes with fewer steps.

Why does Matera appear in so many films?

Because of its stony landscape, which resembles ancient Jerusalem. Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ were filmed there.

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