The Sassi are best explored on foot with no fixed plan, but the sights below are the ones not to miss. Allow at least a full day, plus a few hours for the Murgia.
1 Sasso Caveoso
The more southerly and more cave-like of the two districts, facing the ravine. Many of its homes are dug straight into the rock, and it holds several of the best-known rock churches.
Practical: Free to wander. Steep steps everywhere; sunset light is best.
2 Sasso Barisano
The northern district, with more built facades, carved doorways and many of the cave hotels and restaurants. Its lanes wrap around the cathedral hill.
Practical: Free to wander. Lively in the evening.
3 The Civita and the cathedral
The rocky spur between the two Sassi is the oldest part of the city. At the top stands the Romanesque cathedral, completed in the thirteenth century, with a tall bell tower and a richly decorated interior.
Practical: Cathedral open most days; check times and dress modestly.
4 Santa Maria de Idris
A church built into the Monterrone rock in the Sasso Caveoso, connected to the older rock church of San Giovanni in Monterrone with its faded frescoes. The view over the ravine is superb.
Practical: Ticketed, often as part of a combined rock-church ticket.
5 Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario
A cave house furnished as it was before the evacuation of the 1950s, with the bed, tools and space where animals were kept alongside the family.
Practical: Small entry fee. A short, very worthwhile visit.
6 Palombaro Lungo
Under Piazza Vittorio Veneto lies one of the largest cisterns in Matera, carved to collect rainwater for the city. Walkways take you down into the great vaulted space.
Practical: Guided visits at set times; book ahead in busy periods.
7 Murgia park and rock churches
Across the Gravina, the Parco della Murgia Materana protects a limestone plateau scattered with caves, prehistoric sites and rock churches, some with Byzantine-style frescoes.
Practical: Free to walk; some churches open only with a guide. Bring water.
8 Belvedere di Murgia Timone
The viewpoint opposite the Sassi gives the classic panorama of the city. You can reach it on foot across the ravine via a suspension bridge and a steep path, or by car around the plateau.
Practical: Free. Best in late afternoon; the path is steep and unshaded.
