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.
Right on the doorstep: half an hour
Montescaglioso
The „town of monasteries“ with the Benedictine abbey of San Michele Arcangelo, twenty kilometres to the south. Plus rock churches in the Murgia park and an ancient carnival. The closest destination of all.
Miglionico
The Castello del Malconsiglio, where in 1485 the barons conspired against the King of Naples – and in the main church an eighteen-panel altarpiece by Cima da Conegliano.
Puglia: trulli, coast and castles
Alberobello
The trulli – round stone houses with conical roofs – are on the World Heritage list like Matera. The town is heavily visited; early or late in the day is more pleasant.
Polignano a Mare and Monopoli
Two coastal towns on the Adriatic: Polignano with its famous cove between the cliffs, Monopoli with a harbour and old town. Good targets for half a day with a swim.
Altamura and Gravina in Puglia
Altamura is known for its bread, Gravina for the ravine that splits the town and the bridge across it. Both lie on the way towards Bari.
Castel del Monte
The octagonal castle of Frederick II stands alone on a hill of the Murgia – severe, geometric and without comparison.
Bari
The regional capital, with the basilica of San Nicola, an old town and a harbour – the nearest airport and a full day of city.
Southwards: calanchi and the Ionian Sea
Craco
An abandoned hill village south of Matera, given up because of landslides. The ruins are accessible only with a guide and make a powerful impression.
Pisticci
Some two hundred white houses in rows across the hillside – the Dirupo quarter, built after the landslide of 1688. Plus the calanchi and Amaro Lucano.
Metaponto and the Ionian coast
Remains of Greek temples on the plain, plus long sandy beaches – the opposite direction to the Adriatic and in summer the nearer option for a swim.
Bernalda
Above Metapontum on the hill: a Norman castle, a corso over a kilometre long for the evening stroll, and Francis Ford Coppola’s family town.
Aliano
The village where Carlo Levi was exiled in 1935 and about which he wrote „Christ Stopped at Eboli“. The house of his exile, his grave and the most striking calanchi in Italy.
Tursi and the Rabatana
A quarter of Saracen origin on a rocky spur, and the Romanesque sanctuary of Anglona, visible from far across the plain.
Northwards: mountains and the Vulture country
Tricarico
A Norman tower, Arab quarters and a carnival with cow and bull masks – a hill town on the road to Potenza.
Accettura
At Whitsun two trees marry here: the „Maggio“, one of the most remarkable festivals in the south. All around, the forest of Gallipoli Cognato.
Acerenza
A hill village above the Bradano valley with a cathedral larger than the place would lead you to expect.
Venosa
Roman excavations, Jewish catacombs and the unfinished Norman basilica – along with Aglianico del Vulture wine country.
Melfi
Frederick II’s castle with its museum, and an old town in the shadow of Monte Vulture. Pairs well with Venosa in a single day.
Further afield: the Tyrrhenian Sea
Maratea
Basilicata’s other coast: cliffs, coves and a 22-metre statue of Christ above the Gulf of Policastro. Three and a half to four hours’ drive – worthwhile only with an overnight stay.
How to plan
For destinations up to about an hour away, half a day is enough. Anything further – Aliano, Tursi, Accettura, the Vulture country – needs a full day, because the last stretch is almost always mountain road. Public transport is really only useful for Montescaglioso, Bari and Metapontum; for the other places you need a car or a guided tour.
If your time is short, Matera in 3 days shows when a day trip actually fits in.
