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Welcome to Matera, Italy — a city carved entirely from stone, thought to be the third-oldest settlement in the world after Aleppo and Jericho. Matera and its ancient cave houses known as sassi sit on a rocky canyon in Basilicata, Southern Italy.
People lived in these caves in Matera, with neither electricity not running water, as late as the 1950s. When this came to light, the city of Matera was referred to as “Italy’s Great Shame.”
Matera escaped the radar of foreign travelers for decades. However, being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 put the City of Caves on the map for tourism — and movie scouts. Parts of The Passion of the Christ and Wonder Woman were filmed on location in Matera.
And then came 2019 — when I finally visited Matera as part of a Puglia road trip. (While Matera is technically part of Basilicata, it’s just barely over the border from Puglia and is one of the most popular destinations for travelers in Puglia. I’m categorizing it in my Puglia content for that reason.)
That year, Matera was designated a European Capital of Culture; shortly after, a car chase in the James Bond movie No Time to Die was filmed in the stone city. Visitor numbers skyrocketed as travelers “rocked” up to photograph the vistas and sleep in luxurious cave hotels.
Matera lived up to my sky-high expectations — and I think it will for you, too. There’s not a single place in Italy that looks like Matera. That’s exactly why you should plan a visit.
This post was published in December 2023 and co-written by Adventurous Kate and Hannah Cooper.
Best Things to Do in Matera, Italy
Stroll through the Old Town
For all first-time Matera visitors, I recommend getting the lay of the land with a wander around the historic center. Piazza Vittorio Veneto is the natural starting point for your first time in Matera, as this large public square is home to several attractions on this list, including Palombaro Lungo and Belvedere Luigi Guerricchio detto dei Tre Archi. Look out for Salvador Dalí’s Space Elephant, too.
Matera is great fun to explore independently, although this historical walk with a local guide will deepen your understanding of Matera’s unique history. As a private guided tour, some customization to…
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