The Sassi di Matera – a city cut from the rock
The Sassi are not a district like any other: they are cut into the limestone. Cave dwellings, cisterns, staircases and churches form a fabric that grew over millennia – and where thousands of people were still living until seventy years ago. Today they are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Rock churches in and around Matera
More than a hundred churches around Matera are cut into the rock. Many are plain caves, some carry Byzantine-influenced frescoes a thousand years old. They are the second reason – alongside the Sassi themselves – why this landscape is World Heritage.
Piazzetta Pascoli
The small square in front of Palazzo Lanfranchi is probably the most photographed point in the city – and with good reason: from here the whole Sasso Caveoso lies in view.
Belvedere Murgia Timone – the view from across
To see Matera as a whole you have to leave the city. From the opposite slope of the Murgia it lies across the gorge in its full width – it is the view practically every photograph of the city shows.
Palombaro Lungo – the cistern beneath the square
- Adresse: Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 75100 Matera
- Dauer des Besuchs: about 30 minutes
- Zugang: Mit Ticket
Beneath the central square of the upper town lies a water reservoir the size of a cathedral. The Palombaro Lungo was cut into the rock, supplied Matera with rainwater for generations and then fell so completely into oblivion that it was only found again during building work.
Free things to see in Matera
The best thing about Matera costs nothing: the city itself. What you can see without paying – and what is still worth the ticket.
Matera in one day
A day is enough for a good first impression – if you commit to one route and do not try to see everything.
What can you do in Matera?
Matera is small enough to cover on foot – and layered enough that one day is not enough. An overview of what the city has to offer.
Walking in the Gravina and on the Murgia
Behind the gorge a bare plateau begins, with rock churches, drystone walls and the best view of the city.
The best photo spots in Matera
Matera almost photographs itself. These points are especially worthwhile – and the time of day matters a great deal.
Getting to Matera
Matera lies off the main rail lines. Most travellers arrive via Bari – by bus, train or hire car.
Day trips around Matera
Matera lies conveniently between Basilicata and Puglia. Several rewarding destinations are within a short hour’s drive, others need a full day – and one of them two. This overview sorts them by distance and direction; every place has its own page with sights, travel details and tips.
