Top Matera Nature Walks

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.

Discover the historical "Sassi" neighbourhoods with a high profile guide. Our guides are all very fluent in English. Starting from the upper part of the city centre, you will get to know the most alive part of the town, where the locals live. Moving towards the Sassi area, you will have the chance to better understand how this complex city developed over the centuries. Passing first by the Sasso Barisano which we will admire from a panoramic terrace, the tour keeps going on through the internal alleys of the Sasso Caveoso with several stops to dig into the depths of Matera’s historical, architectural and cultural background. Our choice on what to include in the tour has been made, taking into careful consideration which sites are most worthy of the presence of a guide. We decided to include a rock-hewn church: Santa Lucia alle Malve. At the end of the tour the guide will share with you infos on which other places it’s worth of visiting on your own.

Trekking Through the Sassi and the Murgia: History, Nature, and Adventure Explore Matera on a breathtaking hike through stunning landscapes and ancient history! Start from the heart of the Sassi, guided by an expert guide, and follow the itinerary n. 406, leading you deep into the canyon of the Regional Park of Rupestrian Churches. Cross the thrilling Tibetan Bridge, suspended between sky, stream, and rock, and climb up to reach the Murgia plateau, where wild nature meets the charm of rock-hewn sites, and ancient testimonies carved into the stone. After an unforgettable journey through canyons, caves, and breathtaking views, a shuttle will take you back to Matera, leaving you with lasting memories of this incredible experience in the heart of Basilicata. A light trek, but full of emotions! Are you ready to go?

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.

Serious hiking options in southern Italy are limited—many renowned trails, such as the Path of the Gods, are far from Basilicata. The Path of the Seven Stones is the region's standout: a 5.6-mile (9-kilometer) route connecting Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa with significant elevation changes and seven sculpture installations based on local witch folklore. Hike the route with a AIGAE-certified environmental guide, and skip any navigation hassle or planning headaches.

Definitely one of the most spectacular rocky landscapes of Italy that testifies to the ancient relationship between nature and man, it is found in Basilicata, in Matera a few kilometers away from the border with Puglia.

Discover the history of a city carved into the rock and inhabited until the 20th century. Matera is a unique place, to be visited at least once in a lifetime. Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Go to the 2 main districts carved into the rock, where you will discover cave houses and cave churches. During the tour, admire the view from one of the balconies overlooking the Murgia Materana Park. Discover the history and origins of Matera, one of the oldest cities in all of Europe. Finally, reach one of the highest points of the Sassi and visit the cathedral.

A panoramic excursion in rocky habitats, flanking the Gravina di Matera and its stream which extends for 20 km, from the foot of the city of Matera, made famous for its Sassi and declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. We will follow the stream along the ridge of one side of the ravine, enjoying the landscapes of the Murgia Materana Regional Park. First by exploring the rock church of San Nicola all'Ofra, a farmhouse with its rooms dug into the cliff that communicate with each other: tunnels, stairways, cisterns, churches, developing on 3 levels of height. And then the karst Bat Cave, among the oldest evidence of human life in this area, a series of corridors, a breeding site for flying mammals, a place that hides the treasure of King Barbarossa between history and legend and where thanks research carried out in recent centuries revealed Paleolithic tools and fossils of extinct animals, such as the cave bear.

Beneath Matera's main piazza lies a sealed underground city — Roman cisterns, a ninth-century church, and a tank that held five million litres of rainwater. This self-guided audio tour of the Sassi di Matera, delivered through an app, takes you past what most visitors never notice. You'll learn why families paid for better skull placement on a church door, how an assassinated count sparked a city motto about patient revenge, and why Hollywood chose these cave streets over the actual Holy Land. Your guide covers both Sasso districts, the cathedral, and cave homes where families of eleven lived alongside their animals. Start anytime, pause for photos, go at your pace — no group to follow, no fixed schedule. Works offline in the narrow streets. Over 20,000 travellers trust our self-guided tours, and every booking comes with a full refund guarantee. If you want to understand Matera rather than just photograph it, this Matera walking tour is built for exactly that.

Hi! I’m Mimma, an official guide for the Murgia Materana Park and an independent environmental hiking and experiential guide. My tours have a strong focus on nature but take a holistic, systemic approach—meaning they naturally integrate history, archaeology, local culture, and literature. I share with hikers how the landscape we traverse has evolved over millennia, the connection between the park and the city, and the broader importance of parks worldwide. What travelers take home isn't just a tour, but a fresh perspective on nature and the world. I invite you to join me on this tour; I love this place and want to share that passion with you, tailoring the pace and level to your preferences and making you feel like Matera is a bit like home. I look forward to seeing you!

We dive into the Park starting from the Sassi districts, across the suspension bridge that crosses the stream. Visit to the UNESCO Park of Murgia Materana with unspoilt nature, flora, fauna, art, ancient history and archaeology to discover. Rock churches (cut into the rock) with millenary frescoes, cisterns for collecting water, farms and tratturi crossed for millennia on the road between Rome and Jerusalem. Personalized tours with professional hiking environmental guide registered with AIGAE (Italian Association of Environmental Hiking Guides). Limited number of participants. It is a unique and exciting tour. You will discover nature, history and art through one of the oldest territories in the world. Bring hiking shoes, windbreaker, water and hat with visor.

The vast Murgia plateau facing the Sassi of Matera constitutes the Regional Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera, which has also been declared a World Heritage Site since 2007. It is a large rocky hilly area marked by deep karst fissures called: "Gravine". The show that appears before the eyes is truly breathtaking, since the whole inhabited area of the Sassi appears in all its splendor beyond the ravine. In a surprising and fascinating naturalistic context, following an initially somewhat steep path, accompanied by Environmental Naturalistic Guides, you descend towards the Gravina stream near which, in an area rich in vegetation, there is a characteristic Rock Church which " speaks to us” of the past. Looking up… the Sassi…. seen from the stream… amazement! Return to the Murgecchia plain and skirt the Gravina.

Meet every day in Jazzo Gattini for a 2-hour exploration of the UNESCO Park of Murgia Materana. Discover its thousand-year-old Neolithic archaeological wonders, and then visit frescoed medieval rock churches overlooking the Gravina canyon and the Sassi di Matera, ancient cisterns, dry stone walls; a full immersion that travels through millennia of human history, from the dawn of time to the present day. This area boasts not only a wealth of history and archaeological wonders, but also an uncontaminated Mediterranean flora and fauna, immersed in a land that never ceases to amaze and amaze those who want to discover it. With us you can also let children participate with games and curiosities about fossils, flora and fauna.

Experience something truly unique with a half-day tour to Ginosa, departing comfortably from Matera with a private transfer. Sit back and relax as our van takes you through stunning landscapes to one of the most beautiful wine regions in Puglia. During the tour, you’ll explore ancient vineyards and olive groves, immersing yourself in the region’s rich tradition and natural beauty. You’ll learn the secrets of Puglian winemaking from local experts, and the tour will end with a tasting of fine wines, paired with delicious local products, giving you a true taste of Puglia’s culinary heritage. An unforgettable journey that will leave you with lasting memories and new flavors to bring back with you to Matera.

Discover Altamura through a food tour dedicated to the authentic flavours of Puglia. The experience begins at Caseificio Dicecca, where you will watch artisan cheeses being made and taste local specialities paired with a glass of wine. You will then continue into Altamura’s historic centre for a walk through charming alleys, history and local traditions. Along the way, you will visit the Monastery of Santa Chiara, taste Apulian focaccia at a historic bakery and enjoy the famous “tette delle monache” pastries with Padre Beppe Elixir. The tour continues to the Mercadante Forest, where you will enjoy an outdoor lunch surrounded by nature at Baby Di Cecca. You can choose the option with private transfer from Matera, including pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation, or the local transfer option, designed for guests who are already in Altamura. In this case, the experience includes the transfer from the dairy to Baby Dicecca bar in the Mercadante Forest, with return to Caseificio Dicecca at the end of the tour.