Matera
An ancient city of cave dwellings carved into a ravine - the Sassi of Matera, inhabited for millennia, once shamed as a slum and now a UNESCO marvel.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
UNESCO World Heritage
Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, an extraordinary city of cave dwellings, the Sassi, carved into the sides of a rocky ravine in the far south of Italy and lived in for millennia. Once so poor it was called the shame of Italy and evacuated, it has been reborn as a UNESCO marvel of honey-coloured stone, cave hotels and churches.
What you actually see
- The Sassi - the ancient cave dwellings tumbling down the ravine.
- The rock churches - the churches carved into the stone, some frescoed.
- A cave dwelling museum - the recreated homes showing the old hard life.
- The ravine viewpoints - the views across the gorge to the cave-pocked cliffs.
When to go
Spring and autumn for mild weather; the honey stone glows at sunrise and sunset. Summer is very hot in the stone city. It has grown popular, especially since featuring in films.
Honest expectations
It is far south, a real journey, most easily reached via Bari. The Sassi are steep and stepped, so it is a lot of walking on uneven stone. It has become popular, so it is busier and more polished than its recent poverty suggests.
Nearby
The Puglia coast and its trulli towns are within reach; Bari is the nearest airport.
What to pack for Matera
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
