Top Matera Art & Culture

Matera is home to the Sassi cave churches and dwellings that make up one of the oldest cities in the world. Join your guide for an in-depth tour of the Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano districts to learn about their unique history and evolution. Discover rupestrian structures, stroll the steep and narrow lanes, and gain a deeper understanding of how this town, once called the “Shame of Italy”, is now a UNESCO-listed treasure.

The UNESCO-listed Sassi di Matera is both captivating and mysterious. With this guided tour, take a deep dive into the history of this unique rupestrian city, named a 2019 European Capital of Culture. Explore its hidden dwellings and churches carved directly into the cliff, the setting for a number of films, including Ben Hur. Cap off the tour with a tasting of local specialties from Matera.

Private tour with a multilingual tour guide that will lead just you discovering the city and its history.

On this in-depth guided tour of Parca della Murgia, you’ll get an insider’s introduction to the stunning, underground Rupestrian churches that Matera is famous for. Get a peek at 150 rock churches, including fresco-filled San Falcion and 17th-century Madonna delle Tre Porte. Tours include admission fees to the park and a guided excursion.

The Sassi di Matera are one of the most fascinating sights in southern Italy, but these ancient cave dwellings can be difficult to interpret on your own. With this guided tour, see the most interesting cave homes and rupestrian churches in the cliffside town in just hours and enjoy insights into their history and significance from your guide. Stroll through the most picturesque squares in the historic center to snap photos.

Delve into the history and mystery of UNESCO-listed Matera, home to the Sassi cave city that traces its history back to prehistoric times. Explore one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world with a guide, stopping to visit rupestrian churches and homes and learn about the evolution of this singular cliffside town. Stroll through the Sasso Barisano and pause to snap photos of the town and surrounding valley.

Unique panoramic tour on board the historic Piaggio Ape Calessino, it will give you an indelible memory of the splendid Matera. Customizable for your every need.

The tour guide outside the Cathedral and walking tour, through culture, history, tales and legends, where in the bronze age, according the findings, a built up area was born to shape the first city.Secondly we will go to "Sasso Barisano" where we will find how life was spent in the past through old trades, customs, proofs and habits. Then we will cross the old town, coasting the "Civita", enjoying the view of the Park of Materana Murgia on the front side, so that we will head towards the rupestrian complex where you can see rupestrian churches and cave dwellings.

We will accompany you through the magical streets of the Old Town and the Sassi of Matera, transmitting stories and anecdotes, so that you can experience this special Lucanian city step by step, in the intense and engaging way with which our beautiful Matera deserves to be told. We will go together to discover the historic Casa Grotta, to understand how people once lived in the Sassi, we will admire the suggestive Barbarian Cemetery and you will fall in love with the colors and details of local craftsmanship. These places are a concentration of history and charm, unique in the world for their particularities: anyone who visits Matera remains deeply fascinated. This tour is not to be missed: it allows you to fully understand the beating heart of Matera and it is above all for this reason that the Tour of the Historic Center and the Sassi of Matera is specially designed for those people who plan to stay here for a short time, perhaps a weekend or just one day ...

You will visit Matera with a local tour guide that knows the city and will lead you to discover it as only an inhabitant can do.

Located in a cave deep in the Mugia plateau outside Matera, this captivating rupestrian church known as the “Sistine Chapel of the south” is not easy to reach by car or bus. With this tour, explore one of the most important cultural sites in Basilicata with a convenient transfer and admire its ancient frescoes with the insight of a guide.

Private panoramic tour of the historic districts of the city, aboard the historic Ape Calessino Piaggio. You will not share the tour with other guests.

Discover the old mountainside city of Matera on a 2-hour private walking tour. Visit the city’s key landmarks like Palazzo Lanfranchi, the church of San Pietro Caveoso, the Sasso Caveoso, and visit a typical cave house from the region. Learn about the history of this centuries-old city from your informative guide and even walk the streets where Mel Gibson filmed scenes from ‘The Passion of the Christ.’

With our walking tours, you’ll skip the mundane historical tours and discover the city through a local’s eyes. Experience a tour that will transform the way you travel to make it as much about the people you meet, as it is the places you see. Our local guides (Lokafyers) are passionate about their city and eager to share their knowledge and perspective. Since Lokafyers are not professional guides and tour occasionally, they provide an experience that’s authentic and personal, like a friend showing you around their city. By the end of the tour, you'll feel comfortable navigating the city and confident that you have all the information you need to make the most of your stay.

Castelmezzano, surrounded by a rocky landscape, has preserved the original medieval urban layout with houses built on the rock according to the ancient form of terracing, with the roofs in stone slabs. The walking tour will take you to the discovery of the historical center. It will be discovered how Castelmezzano at the time of the Crusades was an important stop for the knights who went to the Holy Land. Here you will also visit the Mother Church of Santa Maria (called dell'Olmo) made of local stone with inside a wooden statue of the Madonna with Child and a wooden baroque altar. The tour will continue in the village among the palaces built by noble families such as the great ducal palace of De Lerma, the last lords of Castelmezzano. The tour will end with a visit to the ruins of the Norman-Swabian castle and the narrow and very steep Norman staircase, the staircase was dug into the rock to lead the soldiers to a high place to watch over the fortress

This is a tailor-made tour. People can decide to stop wherever they like. They will have time to explore the Old Town and its history and enjoy wonderful landscape.

Miglionico is located on a hill near Matera between the Bradano and Basento rivers and is famous for the majestic Malconsiglio castle, known for the historic conspiracy of the Barons (1485) against King Ferdinando I of Naples. Flanked by square and circular circular towers, placed at the top of the building. On the upper floor, there are the Malconsiglio hall, where the conspiracy was held, and the Star or Spirits room with a star-shaped ceiling and caskets where the most precious treasures and documents were kept. After the visit of the castle the tour continues towards the mother church of Santa Maria Maggiore which preserves precious works such as the splendid Polyptych (1499) oil on panel of the Venetian master Cima da Conegliano, composed of eighteen panels arranged in four orders, with a central beautiful Virgin on the Throne with Child and St. John the Baptist, the Crucifix by Father Umile Da Petralia Soprana (1629) and the great baroque organ.

The beautiful Italian city of Matera is known for its incredible caves, and ancient stone settlements known as “Sassi”. Get the most out of your time in this spectacular city without the worry of getting lost by going on a guided tour. Enjoy having a private guide to escort you to palaces, caves, churches, and hidden spots you might not discover alone, with fascinating commentary along the way.

Thanks to this tour, in one day, it will be possible to visit Bari and Matera, that is some of the most beautiful places in the area.

Giovinazzo is a suggestive peculiar city, with a unique and characteristique apulian old town and it ha salso a beautiful turistic port with a lively night life and amazing public beaches and clubs. According to the legend “Jovis Natio” was founded from the legendary heroe Perseus, Jupiter’s son. Giovinazzo honours these origins standing out among the jewels of the adriatic coast. We suggest you a guided tour which will give you an overview of the city: from the oldest little street of the old town, to the important cultural and historical heritage of the noble palaces and the Magnificent Cathedral. The old town has different point of interest: the old “Arco Traiano”, wanted by the famous Emperor with surrounding walls to protect the city; the “Torrione Aragonese” (know as “U Tammurre” – “The Drum” in local dialect), because of its shape.

4 day tour that will allow you to discover very well Matera and two nearby cities: Altamura and Gravina, where some internationally renowned films have been filmed. It includes accommodations, transfer and food tasting

We are all a little vip, with our sprinter we visit Matera as a vip. Emotions are lived forever in the heart. Comfortably seated in a luxury minivan, you can visit the city to discover breathtaking views and historical monuments.

The Castellaneta / Taranto tour offers the opportunity to visit the two cities in comfort, to know its history and admire its unique wonders.

This tour is ideal for those staying in Matera and also wants to explore its surroundings. Includes the visit of the Sassi and a guided excursion in minivan to Altamura and Gravina di Puglia with departure and return from Matera.