The Sassi do not explain themselves. A guided tour turns a handsome backdrop into a city you can understand.
Walk the lanes alone and you see façades and staircases. What lies behind them – that most of the rooms are cut into the rock, how the water system worked, why the districts were cleared – only opens up with explanation.
What is on offer
The usual format is a walk of one to three hours through one or both Sassi, often including a rock church or a furnished cave dwelling. Alongside these there are themed tours: on the history of the resettlement, on the rock churches, on film locations.
Language
Tours in English are common; German-language tours are rarer and usually need booking. If that matters to you, ask in advance and book early.
Practical
Sturdy shoes are sensible, in summer water and a hat. Tours often start at Piazza San Pietro Caveoso or on Piazza Vittorio Veneto.
Read on
- The Sassi di Matera – what the tours are about
- The lanes of the Sassi – the routes through the districts
- Matera Sotterranea – guided routes underground
