The essential experience.
A detail that changes the visit
Steps and gradients are part of the historic fabric; choose a walking route and accommodation access that suit you.
For the curious reader
History, landscape and context.
The "Sassi" have been described by Fodor's as "one of the most unique landscapes in Europe". Along with the park of the Rupestrian Churches, it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. The Sassi originate from a prehistoric troglodyte settlement and are suspected to be among the first human settlements in Italy. There is evidence that people were living here as early as the year 7000 BC. In the 1950s, the government of Italy forcefully relocated most of the population of the Sassi to areas of the developing modern city. Beset by extreme poverty and riddled with malaria, the unhealthy living conditions were considered inhuman and an affront to the modern new Italian Republic of Alcide De Gasperi.
Abridged background from Sassi di Matera, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened; this adapted background remains under the same licence. Retrieved 23 September 2026. Source revision.
From inspiration to a practical plan
Plan your visit.
- Physical demands
- Expect repeated stairs, sloping lanes and stone paving between the upper town and the Sassi. Select a short viewpoint route if the descents are unsuitable.
- The consequential detail
- Steps and gradients are part of the historic fabric; choose a walking route and accommodation access that suit you.
Through the seasons
A place in the world.
Select the pin to open a detailed map. Use Closer look to see the surrounding region. Drag to move a zoomed map.
Map: Natural EarthIn pictures.
Look between Matera’s excavated rooms and the stone façades built above them.
Follow the connection
Keep exploring.
Explore more places in the same country.
310 · Italy
Alberobello
Conical stone roofs form an extraordinary townscape whose construction rewards attention to small details.
Read the landscape more closely
Useful links and further reading.
Choose a source for the job: official visitor information for access, the UNESCO record for the named property’s designation, and background or library resources for deeper reading.
Understand · UNESCO World Heritage Centre
UNESCO World Heritage property record
Read the named property’s significance, maps, components and conservation documents. The World Heritage boundary may cover only part of this guide’s wider destination.
External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.Read · Wikipedia
Matera: background reading
Encyclopaedic context and its bibliography. Follow the cited research for a deeper examination of particular claims.
External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.Visit · Wikivoyage
Find travel information for Matera
A clearly labelled search of the community travel guide; check the page’s coverage and the age of practical details.
External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.Books · WorldCat
Find books about Matera
Search library holdings and editions, useful for finding specialist histories, field guides and works beyond a general travel guide.
External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.Photography · Wikimedia Commons
Find photographs of Matera
Explore further photographs and their individual credits.
External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.Maps · OpenStreetMap
Explore the local map
Inspect the surrounding area.
External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.