A City Carved from Stone
There are ancient cities, and then there is Matera. Nestled in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, Matera's Sassi — literally "stones" — are a network of cave dwellings, churches, and alleyways carved directly into a ravine. People have lived continuously in these caves for at least 9,000 years, making Matera one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on earth.
It is also, improbably, one of Italy's most overlooked destinations. While Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast absorb the overwhelming majority of international visitors, Matera sits quietly in the deep south, waiting to be found.
The Sassi: Walking Through Millennia
The Sassi are divided into two districts: Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, separated by a ridge topped by the 13th-century Matera Cathedral. Walking between them means descending staircases that double as streets, ducking under archways into cave churches still decorated with faded Byzantine frescoes, and emerging onto terraces with views over the ravine that look like a scene a filmmaker would invent — and indeed have. Mel Gibson shot scenes from The Passion of the Christ here. Pasolini filmed The Gospel According to St. Matthew in the streets. The BBC's No Time to Die opened here.
The atmospheric pressure of history is difficult to describe. You don't just see Matera — you feel it.
The Cave Churches
The Sassi contain over 150 rupestrian (rock-cut) churches, many of which are open to visitors. The finest is the Cripta del Peccato Originale (Crypt of Original Sin), located in a cave outside the city and nicknamed the "Sistine Chapel of cave art" — its 8th-century frescoes depicting the Archangel Michael and the Madonna are among the best-preserved early Christian artworks in Italy. A guide is required and well worth the small additional fee.
Within the Sassi, Santa Maria de Idris is carved into a rocky outcrop above Sasso Caveoso and offers views over the ravine. Santa Lucia alle Malve houses well-preserved Byzantine frescoes dating to the 12th century.
From Slum to UNESCO: Matera's Remarkable Reversal
In the 1950s, the Italian government forcibly relocated Matera's cave-dwelling residents — at the time around 15,000 people — into modern housing, appalled at conditions Carlo Levi had described in his 1945 memoir Christ Stopped at Eboli. The Sassi were declared a national disgrace and partially sealed.
By the 1980s, restoration had begun. In 1993, UNESCO granted World Heritage Status. In 2019, Matera was named a European Capital of Culture. The same caves that were considered shameful are now boutique hotels charging €300 a night. Italy's relationship with its southern heritage is, to put it mildly, complicated — but the result for visitors is a place that has been thoughtfully preserved without being sanitised.
Where to Stay: Sleeping in a Cave
The most memorable accommodation in Matera is a cave hotel. Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita is the gold standard — former peasant caves converted into austere, beautiful rooms where the stone walls and original carved niches remain entirely intact. It's expensive (from €250/night) but transformative. More affordable cave guesthouses line the lanes of Sasso Barisano from €80/night.
For budget travellers, Matera has a small but growing hostel scene just outside the historic centre.
Matera's Food Scene
Southern Italian cooking is less celebrated internationally than its northern counterpart, but the food in Matera is exceptional. Peperoni cruschi — sweet dried peppers fried until crisp, used as a topping for pasta and as a snack — are the regional signature. Lamb and kid goat are common in the trattorias. Pane di Matera, a sourdough loaf with a dense crumb and hard crust, has IGP protected status. Eat it with local cheese and you have one of Italy's great simple meals.
Getting to Matera in 2026
Matera has no train station (the historic Matera Sud station connects to Altamura, which connects to Bari). The practical approach is to fly into Bari, 65km away, and take either the direct Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL) train-bus combination (around 1.5 hours) or a bus from Bari's main station (90 minutes). Driving from Naples takes about 2.5 hours. It is, in short, somewhat effortful to reach — which is exactly why most tourists don't bother, and exactly why you should.
Best Time to Visit
April, May, September, and October are ideal. Summer (July–August) is hot — often above 38°C — and increasingly busy. Christmas sees the Sassi illuminated with candlelit presepe (nativity scenes) carved into the caves, which is genuinely magical. The city is quietest and most atmospheric in winter, when you can walk the staircases entirely alone.
2026 Travel Context
Matera has received growing attention since its Capital of Culture year and is no longer a secret to Italian travellers. International visitor numbers remain a fraction of the northern Italian giants, and the Sassi still feel genuinely quiet compared to any comparably beautiful European destination. The infrastructure has improved substantially — new restaurants, better signage, increased flight connections to Bari — without compromising the atmosphere. This is the sweet spot. Take it.