Private Guided Walking Tour in Sassi of Matera

You will love Matera at the first sight. At first glance, Matera looks like any small Italian town, but in few steps from Baroque Churches and boutiques, you will discover a very special place called Sassi, where the people lived from the Neolithic Period until the 50th of the last century, and it is today the World Heritage Site and the stage for many films.

1. 1

   Sassi di Matera

   1.5 hours

   Starting from the meeting point in Piazza Vittorio Veneto in front of Banca di Napoli you will walk through the upper part of the historical city of Matera with the splendid baroque churches and elegant 18th centuary buildings and admire the Sassi, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Cavioso from the panoramic terraces. In the meanwhile behind the information about the city you will get also some suggestions were to taste and buy the most typical gastronomic specialities of Matera, then you will go down in Sassi visiting Cavioso, the oldest and most characteristic quoter of the Sassi where you will visit two very particular museums. Be ready to go up and down and do numerous steps, so the comfortable shoes are required. You will learn how the people lived in this place for many centauries "shame of Italy" became the UNESCO world heritage and one of the most visited places in South Italy.

2. 2

   Casa grotta del Casalnuovo

   15 min

   The casa-grotta is the traditional cave-house of the Sassi of Matera where peasants' families used to live at least up the post-war period. You will visit one in the quoter Casalnuovo. Why visit exactly this one. It is one of the biggest cave dwelling in Sassi. It is made of several rooms, each one dedicated to the living of family or stall for farm animal, cellar. Under the floor there is a cistern to keep the rain water, the ancient system that people used for many centuries until the modern aqueduct brought to Matera and the reason, why Matera today is the UNESCO heritage.

3. 3

   Chiesa rupestre di Santa Lucia alle Malve

   15 min

   In Matera there are more then 170 rock churches, excavated from tuff stone, but you will see the one of the oldest, biggest of them The rupestrian church of Santa Lucia alle Malve is the first female monastic settlement of the Benedictine Order, dating back to the 8th century, and the most important in the history of the city of Matera. In this church you will see very ancient frescoes of Saints, some even dating back a millennium, so wonderfully preserved.

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.