Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0Things to do in Matera
117 places selected among attractions, museums, squares and viewpoints
Matera is a city and the capital of the Province of Matera in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. With a history of continuous occupation dating back to prehistory, it is renowned for its rock-cut urban core, whose twin cliffside zones are known collectively as the Sassi.
Must-see in Matera
1. 🏺 archaeology
Sassi di Matera
The Sassi di Matera are two districts (Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano) of the Italian city of Matera, Basilicata, well-known for their ancient cave dwellings inhabited since the Paleolithic period. 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. (Wikipedia)
2. ⛪ place of worship
Matera Cathedral
Matera Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Matera, Cattedrale di Santa Maria della Bruna e di Sant'Eustachio) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Matera, Basilicata, Italy. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the designation of the Madonna della Bruna and to Saint Eustace. Formerly the seat of the Bishops, later Archbishops, of Matera, it is now the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Matera-Irsina. (Wikipedia)
3. 🏰 castle
Castello Tramontano
Castello Tramontano is a 16th-century fortification situated on Lapellio Hill, above the historical city of Matera with in the Basilicata Administrative Region. It was built to control the local population. The city has been used many times as a set to represent the Holy Land in films including: Pier Paolo Pasolini's "The Gospel According to St. (Wikipedia)
4. ⛪ place of worship
Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista
The Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista is a Roman Catholic church dating to the 13th and 18th centuries, located in Matera in the Italian region of Basilicata, and dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Like the Duomo, the church is an important example of Apulian Romanesque architecture. (Wikipedia)
5. 👑 palace
Palazzo dell'Annunziata
The Palazzo dell'Annunziata is a historical building in Matera, Italy. The Palazzo was constructed in 1735 by architect Vito Valentino for the Rome Pontifical Commission. This can be inferred by the Convention between the Dominican nuns and the same Valentino, who, because of the urgency, makes an effort to finish the work in five years [1]. (Wikipedia)
6. ⛪ place of worship
Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo
San Pietro Caveoso, also known as "Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church", is a Catholic church situated in the Sassi of Matera. The front is in the baroque style and presents three portals. Over each portal there is a niche with statues. (Wikipedia)
🏛️ Museums in Matera
Museo-laboratorio della Civiltà Contadina
The Museum-workshop of the Peasant Culture (Museo-laboratorio della Civiltà Contadina) is an ethno-anthropological museum in Matera, situated in the ancient Sassi district. (Wikipedia)
National Museum of Matera
Museum in Italy
National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art of Basilicata
The Museo nazionale d'arte medievale e moderna della Basilicata (pronounced [pa'lattso laɱ'fraŋki]) is an art museum located inside the building Palazzo Lanfranchi, which is located in Piazzetta Pascoli, in the Historic Centre of Matera Basilicata, Italy. (Wikipedia)
Ex ospedale di San Rocco
Building in Matera, Italy
Museo della Scultura Contemporanea
Museum in Italy
Crypt of the Original Sin
Building in Matera, Italy
Casa Grotta
🏺 Archaeological sites in Matera
Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera
Protected area in Italy (EUAP0419)
Villaggio Saraceno
Archaeological site in Matera, Italy
The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera
World Heritage site in Italy
🏰 Castles and fortresses in Matera
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Walls of Matera
👑 Palaces in Matera
Palazzo del Sedile
Building in Matera, Italy
Palazzo Lanfranchi
Building in Matera, Italy
Palazzo Bronzini
Building in Matera, Italy
Palazzo Ridola
Building in Matera, Italy
Palazzo Vescovile
Palazzo Acito
Building in Matera, Italy
Palazzo Bernardini (Matera)
Building in Matera, Italy
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Palazzo Malvinni-Malvezzi
Building in Matera, Italy
Palazzo della Prefettura
Building in Matera, Italy
⛪ Churches and places of worship in Matera
Chiesa di San Domenico
Church in Matera, Italy
Chiesa del Purgatorio
Church building in Matera, Italy
Santa Chiara
Church building in Matera, Italy
santuario della Madonna di Picciano
Church in Matera, Italy
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convento di Sant'Agostino
Convent in Matera, Italy
Chiesa di Santa Maria de Armenis
Church in Matera, Italy
Santa Lucia alla Fontana
Building in Matera, Italy
Sant'Antonio Abate
Religious building in Matera, Italy
San Salvatore
Church building in Borgo Timmari, Matera, Italy
Materdomini (Matera)
Church building in Matera, Italy
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Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris
Church in Matera, Italy
Chiesa di San Giovanni in Monterrone
Church in Matera, Italy
santuario di Santa Maria della Palomba
Church in Matera, Italy
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Santuario della Madonna delle Tre Porte
Church in Matera, Italy
San Francesco d'Assisi (Matera)
Church in Matera, Italy
Chiesa di Santa Lucia alle Malve
Church in Matera, Italy
Madonna delle Vergini
Church in Matera, Italy
Madonna della Croce
Church in Matera, Italy
Chiesa di Maria Madre della Chiesa
Church in Matera, Italy
San Vincenzo De' Paoli
Church building in La Martella, Matera, Italy
chiesa di San Falcione
🎭 Theatres in Matera
Conservatorio Egidio Romualdo Duni
Education organization in Matera, Italy
⛲ Squares in Matera
Piazza del Sedile
Piazza Vittorio Veneto
Square in Matera, Italy
🌉 Bridges, towers and architecture in Matera
Masseria Jesce
Masseria in Altamura, Italy
Casa Cava
Building in Matera, Province of Matera, Italy
🗿 Monuments and fountains in Matera
war memorial in Matera
Fontana Ferdinandea
🏔️ Nature around Matera
Alta Murgia National Park
📍 41 km from Matera
The Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia is a national park in Apulia, southern Italy, established in 2004. (Wikipedia)
Riserva naturale orientata "San Giuliano"
Nature reserve in Italy
Lago di San Giuliano
Lago di San Giuliano is a lake in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. (Wikipedia)
Pulo di Altamura
📍 25 km from Matera
Pulo di Altamura is a doline located on the Murge plateau (Apulia, Italy). (Wikipedia)
Monte Sant'Elia
📍 43 km from Matera
Mountain in Italy
Pulicchio di Gravina
📍 31 km from Matera
Pulicchio di Gravina (in the local dialect Pulícchie or Pulidde) is the second-largest doline in the Murge plateau (in Apulia, southern Italy) after Pulo di Altamura. (Wikipedia)
Lago Salinella
📍 37 km from Matera
The Lake Salinella is a small coastal back-dune lake, neatly divided in two by the border between Apulia and Basilicata within the protected area Stornara Nature Reserve in the locality of Torre Mattoni-Lake Salinella. (Wikipedia)
Grotta di Turi
📍 45 km from Matera
Cave in Italy
Grotta di Sant'Angelo
📍 19 km from Matera
Cave in Santeramo in Colle, Italy
Monte Croccia
📍 44 km from Matera
Mountain in the province of Matera, Italy
Bosco Difesa Grande
📍 19 km from Matera
Protected area in Italy
🥾 Hiking trails near Matera
Cammino di Don Tonino - Tappa 8
Easy · 20 km · ↑ 160 m · ~5 h 15 min
Hiking trail from Abbazia Benedettina di Noci to Abbazia Benedettina di Noci
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Via Ellenica - Terra delle Gravine (Tappa 8)
Moderate · 18.5 km · ~4 h 45 min
Hiking trail from Montescaglioso to Matera
Via Ellenica - Terra delle Gravine (Tappa 7)
Moderate · 14 km · ~3 h 30 min
Hiking trail from Ginosa to Montescaglioso
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Via Ellenica - Terra delle Gravine (Tappa 6)
Moderate · 13.7 km · ~3 h 30 min
Hiking trail from Laterza to Ginosa
Via Peuceta Tappa 5
Moderate · 20 km · ~5 h
Hiking trail from Altamura to Gravina In Puglia
Appiett’ u Mulin e Appiett u Castiedd
Easy (estimated) · 4.3 km · ~1 h
Hiking trail
Via Lucana - Tappa 5
Hard (estimated) · 16 km · ↑ 487 m · ~4 h 45 min
Hiking trail from Miglionico to Pomarico
Via Lucana - Tappa 4
Hard (estimated) · 17 km · ↑ 550 m · ~5 h 15 min
Hiking trail from Grottole to Miglionico
Via Lucana - Tappa 3
Hard (estimated) · 20 km · ↑ 743 m · ~6 h 15 min
Hiking trail from Grassano to Grottole
Sentiero delle espressioni
Easy
Hiking trail from Vergiate to Sesto Calende
Cammino di Don Tonino - Tappa 7
Easy · 21 km · ↑ 205 m · ~5 h 30 min
Hiking trail from Castellana Grotte to Abbazia Benedettina di Noci
Belvedere di Murgia Timone – Madonna della Croce
Easy
Hiking trail from Belvedere di Murgia Timone to Madonna della Croce
🧭 Worth seeing around Matera
Altamura Cathedral
📍 18 km from Matera
Altamura Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Altamura, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta), dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Altamura, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, in southern Italy. (Wikipedia)
Cagnazzi
📍 18 km from Matera
The Liceo classico Luca de Samuele Cagnazzi is an Italian high school located in piazza Zanardelli 30, Altamura, Italy, close to the church Chiesa di San Domenico. (Wikipedia)
Porta Bari
📍 19 km from Matera
Porta Bari (Italian: [ˈpɔrta ˈbaːri]), previously called Porta de Bari, was one of the main gates of the city of Altamura, before the city walls of the city were torn down over the 19th century. (Wikipedia)
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Porta Matera
📍 18 km from Matera
Porta Matera was one of the main gates of the old city of Altamura. (Wikipedia)
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Dinosaur Quarry of Altamura
📍 16 km from Matera
The Dinosaur Quarry of Altamura, also known as cava dei dinosauri or cava Pontrelli, is an area of scientific interest located in the countryside of the city of Altamura, Italy, where about 4000 footprints of dinosaurs have been found (according to other sources, they are much more than 4000). (Wikipedia)
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San Nicola dei Greci
📍 19 km from Matera
Church building in Altamura, Italy
National Archaeological Museum of Altamura
📍 18 km from Matera
Italian museum
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Chiesa di Santa Teresa
📍 19 km from Matera
Church building in Altamura, Italy
Altamura Castle
📍 19 km from Matera
Altamura Castle (Italian: Castello di Altamura) was a castle located in the city of Altamura, now completely demolished. (Wikipedia)
Epitaph of Altamura
📍 20 km from Matera
The Epitaph of Altamura (Italian: Epitaffio di Altamura) is a monument located in Altamura, Southern Italy. (Wikipedia)
Altamura Diocesan Museum Matroneum
📍 18 km from Matera
Altamura Diocesan Museum Matroneum (Italian: Museo Diocesano Matronei Altamura, also MUDIMA) is a museum located inside Altamura Cathedral, whose entrance is on the left side of the church's main entrance. (Wikipedia)
Megalithic Walls of Altamura
📍 19 km from Matera
The Megalithic Walls of Altamura (Italian: Mura megalitiche di Altamura) are defensive walls dating back to the 4th century BCE. (Wikipedia)
City Walls of Altamura
📍 18 km from Matera
The City Walls of Altamura were a military structure meant for defensive purposes and located in the city of Altamura, Italy. (Wikipedia)
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Chiesa di San Biagio
📍 19 km from Matera
Catholic church located in Altamura, Italy
Chiesa della Madonna dei Martiri (Altamura)
📍 18 km from Matera
Catholic church located in Altamura, Italy
Castello del Malconsiglio
📍 14 km from Matera
Castle in Miglionico, Italy
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Chiesa madre di Santa Maria Maggiore
📍 14 km from Matera
Santa Maria Maggiore, also known as the church of San Francesco, is a Roman Catholic church in the town of Miglionico, province of Matera, Basilicata, Italy. (Wikipedia)
Palazzo Marchesale
📍 17 km from Matera
Palazzo in Laterza, Italy
Teatro Mercadante
📍 18 km from Matera
Theatre in Altamura, Italy
Piazza del Duomo
📍 18 km from Matera
Piazza del Duomo (also piazza Duomo) is the main square of the city of Altamura, Italy. (Wikipedia)
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Palazzo Ponzetti-Persio
📍 18 km from Matera
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Porta del Carmine (Altamura)
📍 18 km from Matera
Gate in the old city wall of Altamura, Italy
Museo d'arte tipografica Portoghese
📍 18 km from Matera
Museum of typography located in Altamura
Castello Sichinulfo
📍 20 km from Matera
Castle in Grottole, Italy
Other destinations nearby
Photo credits
- Sassi di Matera — Photo: Bönisch, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
- Matera Cathedral — Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Alta Murgia National Park — Photo: Fishmax77, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello Tramontano — Photo: Mateola, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista — Photo: Velvet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo dell'Annunziata — Photo: Luca Aless, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Altamura Cathedral — Photo: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo — Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0
- Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera — Photo: Travus, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Chiesa di San Domenico — Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Chiesa del Purgatorio — Photo: Pietro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo del Sedile — Photo: Mongolo1984, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Santa Chiara — Photo: Viaggiamocela, CC BY-SA 4.0
- santuario della Madonna di Picciano — Photo: Mateola, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museo-laboratorio della Civiltà Contadina — Photo: Spleen1981 Museo Laboratorio della Civiltà Contadina di Matera - ONLUS, CC BY-SA 3.0
- convento di Sant'Agostino — Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0
- National Museum of Matera — Photo: Giuseppe Cillis, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art of Basilicata — Photo: Acquario51, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Riserva naturale orientata "San Giuliano" — Photo: Matheola, Public domain
- Chiesa di Santa Maria de Armenis — Photo: Vee13vr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo Bronzini — Photo: Vee13vr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Santa Lucia alla Fontana — Photo: Vee13vr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Piazza del Sedile — Photo: Sergio Spolti, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lago di San Giuliano — Photo: GiusySc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ex ospedale di San Rocco — Photo: Superchilum, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sant'Antonio Abate — Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- San Salvatore — Photo: Manomozza, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museo della Scultura Contemporanea — Photo: Velvet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Materdomini (Matera) — Photo: Istvánka, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris — Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0
- Villaggio Saraceno — Photo: Actaris41, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chiesa di San Giovanni in Monterrone — Photo: Diego Baglieri, CC BY-SA 4.0
- santuario di Santa Maria della Palomba — Photo: Mattis, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo Ridola — Photo: Vee13vr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Santuario della Madonna delle Tre Porte — Photo: Asia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Francesco d'Assisi (Matera) — Photo: Luca Aless, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Crypt of the Original Sin — Photo: Circolo La Scaletta, Public domain
- Chiesa di Santa Lucia alle Malve — Photo: Pietro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Madonna delle Vergini — Photo: Pietro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Madonna della Croce — Photo: Pietro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pulo di Altamura — Photo: Giulio Castellani, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Monte Sant'Elia — Photo: Gianfranco Spazioso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Pulicchio di Gravina — Photo: Canaxmaxa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cagnazzi — Photo: Nicola.rifino, Public domain
- Porta Bari — Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Porta Matera — Photo: Polpettone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dinosaur Quarry of Altamura — Photo: Luca Bellarosa, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Nicola dei Greci — Photo: Asia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lago Salinella — Photo: Giuseppe Pugliese, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grotta di Turi — Photo: Francescocap96, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Archaeological Museum of Altamura — Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Chiesa di Santa Teresa — Photo: Jenajix889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Altamura Castle — Photo: Cesare Orlandi, Public domain
- Grotta di Sant'Angelo — Photo: Simona Jup, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Epitaph of Altamura — Photo: Fabrizio Berloco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Altamura Diocesan Museum Matroneum — Photo: dott. ing. Fabrizio Berloco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Megalithic Walls of Altamura — Photo: dott. ing. Fabrizio Berloco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- City Walls of Altamura — Photo: Cutecchia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chiesa di San Biagio — Photo: Asia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chiesa della Madonna dei Martiri (Altamura) — Photo: Cutecchia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello del Malconsiglio — Photo: Pietro.amato at Italian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chiesa madre di Santa Maria Maggiore — Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Chiesa di Maria Madre della Chiesa — Photo: Scenzino, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Vescovile — Photo: Marcok, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Vincenzo De' Paoli — Photo: Alessandro Dragone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera — Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo Acito — Photo: Franfra, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Bernardini (Matera) — Photo: Isiwal, CC BY-SA 4.0
- chiesa di San Falcione — Photo: Superchilum, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Malvinni-Malvezzi — Photo: Mulatttt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Casa Grotta — Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Walls of Matera — Photo: Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Masseria Jesce — Photo: PietroAmendolara, CC BY-SA 4.0
- war memorial in Matera — Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Piazza Vittorio Veneto — Photo: Luca Aless, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo della Prefettura — Photo: Vee13vr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fontana Ferdinandea — Photo: Tubazio, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Casa Cava — Photo: Gemma buonanno, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Conservatorio Egidio Romualdo Duni — Photo: Giacomo Silvano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Monte Croccia — Photo: Mikyx1994, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Marchesale — Photo: Scarativittore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Teatro Mercadante — Photo: Terrylayogurtina, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bosco Difesa Grande — Photo: Matemata, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Ponzetti-Persio — Photo: Cocca81, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Porta del Carmine (Altamura) — Photo: Jenajix889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museo d'arte tipografica Portoghese — Photo: Polpettone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello Sichinulfo — Photo: Marcok/itwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Altamura Man Museum — Photo: Ilfinocchiodoro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Masseria Casal Sabini — Photo: PietroAmendolara, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cripta rupestre Cantina Spagnola — Photo: Scarativittore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fontana dei Mascheroni — Photo: Scarativittore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museo della Maiolica - MUMA — Photo: Chiave di volta soc. coop., CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Rocco obelisk — Photo: Vito Sassone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- war memorial — Photo: Vito.D'anzi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- clock tower — Photo: Noodles83, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Porta Sant'Angelo — Photo: Vito Sassone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Madonna del Buon Cammino statue — Photo: Vito Sassone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- piazza Municipio — Photo: Erasmo Cardinale, Public domain
- Porta dei Martiri — Photo: Cutecchia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Porta Foggiali — Photo: Hijifa8003, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Altamura Bread Museum — Photo: Ilfinocchiodoro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Porticella di via Marsala — Photo: Jenajix889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cammino di Don Tonino - Tappa 8 — Photo: Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Via Ellenica - Terra delle Gravine (Tappa 8) — Photo: Kevin Wang, CC BY 3.0
- Via Ellenica - Terra delle Gravine (Tappa 6) — Photo: Asia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Via Peuceta Tappa 5 — Photo: Terrylayogurtina, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Appiett’ u Mulin e Appiett u Castiedd — Photo: Claudiobernardi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sentiero delle espressioni — Photo: Ilaria Biancolillo, CC BY-SA 4.0