Top Matera Walking Tours

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.

Discover Matera’s UNESCO-listed Sassi district without the hassle of navigating its winding streets or missing key viewpoints on your own. This guided walking tour takes you through the city’s ancient rock-carved neighborhoods, iconic churches, and scenic overlooks with a knowledgeable guide who brings the history and culture to life. With expert direction throughout, you can focus on experiencing one of Italy’s most unique historic landscapes with ease.

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.

Unveil the secrets of the ancient “cave city” of Matera with this in-depth walking tour through the UNESCO-listed Sassi. Delve into the history of this unique city dug into the cliffside and visit a cave house and rupestrian churches in its two oldest districts. Learn about how residents once lived, marvel at the cathedral set at the town’s upper square, and take in sweeping views over the Murgia Materana Park.

On this in-depth guided tour of Parco della Murgia, explore the UNESCO-listed Rupestrian churches that Matera is famous for. With a guide, walk along scenic footpaths to visit two must-see churches: the fresco-filled San Falcion and 17th-century Madonna delle Tre Porte. Admission fees to the park and a discount coupon for lunch are also included.

English Guided tour in the Sasso Caveoso, Sasso Barisano and City Center During our guided tour we are going to see the amazing old city of Matera. We are going to visit the original cave house that will show you how the poor people lived in the past in the Sassi of Matera with original furniture of that time. During the walking tour will visit the Rock Church with wonderful frescoes inside.

Explore Matera at your own pace with a self-guided walking tour on your phone. You get a clear map of all 10 stops, simple directions through Google Maps, and short audio stories you can play when you reach each location. The route covers the historic heart and the Sassi districts, from Piazza Vittorio Veneto to the Church of San Pietro Caveoso, passing sites like the Matera Cathedral, the panoramic Piazzetta Pascoli, and the iconic Santa Maria di Idris. Start anytime, pause whenever you like, and explore freely. No groups, no schedules. Audio and text available in 7 languages.

Discover the magic of the Sassi di Matera with an exclusive private guided tour, designed just for you and your group. No crowds, no strangers – you will have an authentic experience with an expert Guide dedicated only to you. You will walk through picturesque alleys, houses carved into the rock and breathtaking views, entering a typical Casa Grotta, furnished as it used to be, to understand the peasant life in the Sassi. You will also visit an evocative Rock Church, carved into the rock and embellished with ancient frescoes, testimony of the millennial spirituality of Matera. The tour is completely customizable in time and rhythm, ideal for couples, families or small groups who want to experience Matera in an intimate and unhurried way. Book your private tour now and be guided into the authentic heart of the Sassi : an exclusive, deep and unforgettable experience.

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.

Discover the authentic charm of the Sassi di Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, with a street food tour that combines local flavors with stunning scenery. Stroll through its maze of stone-carved alleys, historic districts, and scenic overlooks as your local guide brings to life stories of cave dwellings, ancient communities, and the layered history of this extraordinary city. Admire Belvedere on Via Duomo, Piazza Duomo, the Cathedral of Matera, former Monastery of Santa Lucia and Agata alla Civita, Piazza Sant'Eligio, and Belvedere Giovanni Pascoli. Delight in a curated selection of Matera and Lucania's iconic street foods. Enjoy crispy peperoni cruschi, traditional cialledda materana, fresh handmade cavatelli, and finish with artisanal gelato in the heart of the Sassi. Along the way, your guide will reveal how food, history, and daily life remain deeply intertwined in this extraordinary city.

Skip the pre-set itinerary and script of a professional guide and enjoy an informal, behind-the-scenes Matera visit with a local host. Learn about daily life in the ancient “cave city” and create a customized route to suit your interests and passions, from landmark churches to little-known eateries. This “Lokafy” experience is aimed at connecting with a Matera native who can offer a uniquely authentic perspective on the city and its people.

This 3-hour walking tour is perfect for travelers looking to experience the Sassi of Matera in a deeper and more complete way, beyond the usual panoramic routes. The itinerary explores both historic districts, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, and includes visits to two of the city’s most important rock churches. Led by a local guide, you’ll learn how Matera evolved from a “built” city into one carved directly into stone, as you pass through historic squares, scenic viewpoints, and rock-hewn spaces that reveal centuries of everyday life and spiritual tradition. The highlight of the tour is the visit to the rock churches, from Sant’Antonio Abate to the striking Madonna de Idris. Here, you’ll admire frescoes dating from the 12th to the 17th century and explore the ancient crypt of San Giovanni in Monterrone. The experience ends with a tasting of traditional Lucanian specialties. The tour runs in small groups, allowing for a more engaging pace and better interaction.

Visit Matera on board a bee, a comfortable and fun experience. A tour of the three districts of the Sassi of Matera and the historic center with panoramic stops and curiosities about the recent history of the city of Matera: from a national shame to a city known and appreciated worldwide. It will also be possible to visit a typical "casa cave" house The route lasts just over an hour, accompanied by a local person to discover the secrets of this millennial city. In special requests enter your preferred departure time!

Discover Matera with an exclusive private walking tour that will guide you through the magic of its Sassi. Begin your journey on the lively Via Alessandro Volta, then admire the majestic Church of Purgatory with its baroque façade. Continue towards Piazza San Francesco, the beating heart of the city, and stroll through Piazza del Sedile, where history comes to life. Visit the Cathedral, with its spectacular view over the valley, and then head to Sasso Barisano, where ancient stone houses will tell you stories from millennia past. Explore the Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and immerse yourself in history by visiting a typical furnished cave house. Finally, reach Piazza San Pietro Caveoso, with its captivating atmosphere, and visit the Church of San Pietro Caveoso, a perfect example of rock-hewn architecture. A unique experience to discover the timeless beauty of Matera!

If you're looking for a fun and curious way to visit Matera, you've come to the right place! With this digital guide created with the support of a local guide, you will be able to visit all the most important monuments at your own pace. You'll get to know the stories and curiosities of Matera! But also you will discover everything about local foods, Italian Aperitivo in authentic local restaurants, and much more!

Since the 1950s the Sassi of Matera have become a great film set, there are now dozens of films shot almost all with a biblical background precisely because of its extraordinary resemblance to the Holy Land; but recently this amazing location is also suitable for action or adventure films. In fact, between August and September 2019 some scenes of the new film "No time to die" by 007 were shot, to be released in world cinemas starting from 30 September 2021. The new tour that retraces the "traces of 007 ”combining, for the visitor, both the cinematographic and the historical-architectural itinerary.

Make the most of your time in Matera and see the main tourist attractions in just a few hours with this guided tour. Stroll through the most historic districts of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, to learn about the unique evolution of this 'city of cave houses' over the millennia. Explore cave churches and dwellings, admire Baroque and Romanesque architecture, and views of the urban landscape and surrounding countryside.

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed rock city of Matera stretches over a steep cliff, so exploring it on foot can be tiring. Explore as much as possible without getting tired with this tour aboard an authentic Italian Ape Calessino (Tuk Tuk). Zip through the streets of the historic Sasso Caveoso neighborhood to admire the main churches and squares and snap photos of the famous cave houses and views of the surrounding valley.

Matera is one of the oldest cities in the world whose territory preserves evidence of human settlements starting from the Paleolithic and without interruptions up to the present day. It represents an extraordinary page written by man through the millennia of this very long history. World Heritage Site since 1993 and European Capital of Culture in 2019. With the classic and typical Ape Calessino (tuk tuk), an Italian myth, much appreciated by families, especially with children in wheelchairs, we will cross the Old Town and the Sassi, as they are very tiring on foot, especially in the summer, whizzing through the streets and characteristic alleys, making small stops for photos and videos and to visit churches in the squares and characteristic Case Grotte (Case Museo).

Cover more ground and explore the UNESCO-listed Sassi di Matera cave churches and dwellings in less than an hour with this Ape Calessino tour. Buzz through the steep, narrow lanes to see highlights in the Barisano and Caveoso districts plus Civita, the town's historic center. Learn about the history of this unique cliffside town from your driver and guide and pause to admire the top sights and snap photos.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and former European Capital of Culture, Matera is full of history that isn’t always apparent to independent travelers. On this small-group walking tour, explore the city with a guide sharing insights into local history and culture. Start from Piazza Vittorio Veneto and explore much of the historic center in a few hours of walking, seeing stone houses, churches, and famous cave dwellings along the way.

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.

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.