Sassi of Matera Small-Group Walking Tour
A guided walk through Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, the two cave districts that made Matera a World Heritage city. The best single first hour in town, and the one that makes every other visit make sense.
Italy
Matera
Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth, a city of stacked stone houses, cave dwellings and rock-cut churches that climbs both sides of a limestone ravine in the Italian region of Basilicata.
The Sassi districts, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, were listed by UNESCO in 1993 after decades of rescue from poverty and neglect, and the city was European Capital of Culture in 2019. This guide covers the headline experiences: guided Sassi walks, cave houses and painted rock churches, tuk-tuk rides, sunset viewpoints across the Gravina canyon, cooking and bread classes, olive groves and wine in the caves, and day trips to Craco, Altamura and the Lucanian Dolomites. It adds nine places to stay, from a cave hotel in the Civita to modern rooms outside the old town, and six practical guides.
Don't miss
Sassi of Matera Small-Group Walking Tour
A guided walk through Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, the two cave districts that made Matera a World Heritage city. The best single first hour in town, and the one that makes every other visit make sense.
Sassi Tour with the Rock Churches of Matera
A two-hour guided walk built around the rock-cut churches of the Sassi, with their faded frescoes, carved niches and stories of monks who settled the ravine centuries ago.
Matera Sunset Tour: Murgia Timone and Belvedere
A guided sunset trip with transfer to the Murgia plateau, where the whole stack of the Sassi lights up across the canyon. The classic Matera photograph, with someone else doing the driving.
Tour of the Crypt of the Original Sin
A guided visit to a painted cave outside Matera, often called the Sistine Chapel of rock art, with early medieval frescoes of Genesis and the Fall.
Things to do in Matera
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Sassi Tour with the Rock Churches of Matera
A two-hour guided walk built around the rock-cut churches of the Sassi, with their faded frescoes, carved niches and stories of monks who settled the ravine centuries ago.
Matera Guided Tour with Casa Grotta and Rock Church
A low-cost guided visit that goes inside a furnished cave house and a rock church, so the Sassi stop being a view and become a place people actually lived.
Panoramic Open-Bus Tour of the Sassi with Cave House
An easy ninety-minute open-air bus ride around the edge of the Sassi, with viewpoints across the ravine and a stop at a cave house. A smart choice if steps are a challenge.
Ape Calessino Tuk-Tuk Panoramic Tour of Matera
A short, playful ride through the lanes and viewpoints of old Matera in a three-wheeled Ape Calessino, with a local driver pointing out the sights. Great for tired legs and children.
Matera Sunset Tour: Murgia Timone and Belvedere
A guided sunset trip with transfer to the Murgia plateau, where the whole stack of the Sassi lights up across the canyon. The classic Matera photograph, with someone else doing the driving.
Gravina Canyon and the Tibetan Bridge Walk
A guided outing from Matera into the Murgia Materana Park via the Tibetan bridge across the Gravina gorge. For travellers who want canyon air and cave-studded cliffs as well as streets.
Murgia Materana Park Rock Church Trail
A guided trail through the Park of the Rupestrian Churches, following the footsteps of the Basilian monks to chapels hidden in the canyon cliffs.
Tour of the Crypt of the Original Sin
A guided visit to a painted cave outside Matera, often called the Sistine Chapel of rock art, with early medieval frescoes of Genesis and the Fall.
Matera Food Walking Tour in a Small Group
A small-group walk with a local guide that tastes its way through Matera, from bread and cured meats to cheeses, sweets and wine, in the lanes of the old town.
Local Products and Wine Tasting in the Caves of the Sassi
A short, atmospheric tasting of regional products and wines served inside a cave in the Sassi. A relaxed hour that feels like drinking inside the hillside.
Cooking Class in a Cave Restaurant in the Sassi
A hands-on cooking class set inside a cave restaurant in the Sassi, where you prepare regional dishes and then sit down to eat them.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita
Sasso Caveoso / Civita
A cave hotel in the oldest part of the Sassi, with rooms carved into the rock and restored with a minimalist, candlelit feel. The most atmospheric address in Matera.
Check rates →Eden Sassi Matera
Sassi
A place to stay in the Sassi with a Matera address and easy walks to churches and viewpoints. A practical base for travellers who want to be inside the old town.
Check rates →UNA Hotels MH Matera
Matera (modern city)
A conventional hotel in the modern city, for travellers who prefer lifts, car access and standard hotel services over a cave room. A short trip from the Sassi.
Check rates →Cinque Elementi Sassi Matera
Sassi
A small stay in the Sassi with a Matera address, suited to couples and short breaks who want to be inside the old town.
Check rates →Cenobio Hotel & SPA Matera
Matera
A Matera hotel with a spa in its name, for travellers who want a place to unwind after days of walking steep stone lanes.
Check rates →La Pergola ai Sassi
Sassi
A guesthouse-style stay next to the Sassi, a short walk from churches and viewpoints, for travellers who like small, personal places.
Check rates →Fra i Sassi Residence
Sassi
A residence-style stay among the Sassi, a good fit for longer visits and groups who want more space than a standard hotel room.
Check rates →Giulietta nei Sassi
Sassi
A guesthouse in the Sassi with a personal feel, suited to couples and short stays in the heart of the old town.
Check rates →B&B Il Cielo Sui Sassi
Sassi
A bed and breakfast with a name that means the sky over the Sassi, for budget-minded travellers who still want an old-town address.
Check rates →Tour + stay
Ready-made pairings: a top sight and a hotel that suits it. Add both to your trip and book each when you are ready.
Do
Sassi of Matera Small-Group Walking TourStay
Sextantio Le Grotte della CivitaSasso Caveoso / Civita
Do
Sassi Tour with the Rock Churches of MateraStay
Eden Sassi MateraSassi
Do
Matera Sunset Tour: Murgia Timone and BelvedereStay
UNA Hotels MH MateraMatera (modern city)
Matera guides
Matera in Three Days: Sassi, Cave Churches and the Canyon
A practical three-day plan that puts the Sassi walk first, saves the canyon views for golden hour, and leaves room for food, a day trip and slow evenings.
Where to Stay in Matera: Sassi Caves, Guesthouses or Modern Hotels
How to choose between a cave room in the Sassi, a small guesthouse, a residence or a conventional hotel, with practical advice on stairs, parking and noise.
Eating and Drinking in Matera: Bread, Pasta and Wine from the Caves
A guide to the food of Matera and Basilicata, from the famous bread and legume soups to cured meats, cheeses, peppers and Aglianico wine.
Best Time to Visit Matera: Seasons, Heat and Festivals
A season-by-season guide to Matera, covering weather, crowds, festivals, opening patterns and what to pack for the stone steps.
Day Trips from Matera: Ghost Town, Mountains and Countryside
The best excursions from Matera: the abandoned town of Craco, the Lucanian Dolomites, the Murgia park, olive groves and more.
The Cave Churches and History of Matera: A Visitor Guide
How Matera grew from a ravine of caves into a World Heritage city, and how to read its rock churches, cisterns and cave houses.
