A journey through time, a walk among the millennial testimonies in the city of the future.Matera, Basilicata,He will give you strong emotions and will be able to fascinate you thanks to the streets of the historic center where small craft shops follow and the clubs where you will discover the flavors and colors of the city. We have created a guide that can help you in organizing your trip aMatera: what to seeAnd what to visit.
Matera Guide
To better appreciateMatera, among the oldest cities in Italy, it is essential to listen to the perfumes that come from the small gardens of the houses of the historic center, real treasures to be discovered along the itinerary that takes you to theCathedralor through the streets of theSasso Caveosoor thatBarisano(the first develops in the direction ofBariand the second in the direction of the neighborMontescaglioso).MateraIn fact, he has two faces, both united by a long history that finds his fulcrum in the Benedictine monks, who chose it as a place where a lively and fruitful community gives birth.
Today those places keep intact very important testimonies, such asExtraordinary frescoes of the crypt of original sinor some of thehundreds of rock churchesopen to the public. Imagining this place as a crib would be reductive.MateraHe reveals all his charm also in the rest of the year, with breathtaking sunsets between the white of the tuff of the houses dug in the rock, colors that change in the different moments of the day and a sun that hardly abandons it.
Matera is from the regional capital,Power, 100 kilometers. Thanks to this short guide you can organize your holiday in the best possible way and you can discover in depthWhat to see in Matera and surroundings.
What to visit in Matera: places of interest
There are many aMatera the things to see; We therefore thought of summarizing in short those who are aMatera the places of interestmain of this wonderful city of Basilicata.
1Matera, the stones
Matera, the stones:They are undoubtedly the symbol with which Matera is known in the world. The homes built in the tuff, the peculiarity of the place, have been declared "national heritage of UNESCO" thanks to their particular beauty, which makes this city among the most suggestive in Southern Italy. THEStones of MateraThey create a unique scenario, which attracts and excites tourists and citizens. It is no coincidence that it has often been used as the scenography of important film works. The stones, as mentioned previously, are divided into two precise areas: theSasso Barisano, largest and most modern neighborhood that hosts clubs, restaurants and in which thenightlife of Matera, and the Sasso Caveoso, older and traditional neighborhood. A walk among theSassi, especially at sunset, is to be inserted in the list "What to do in Matera".
2 Ruperti di Matera churches
The Ruperti di Matera churchesThey are religious places dug in the rocks and belonging to the medieval era. These are mostly crypts, sanctuaries and basilic basilics, thanks to the exceptional decorations that significantly enrich the artistic and cultural heritage ofMunicipality of Matera. A visit to these mystical places is to be included in the list "Matera: what to visit".
3 Matera Cathedral
The Cathedral of MateraIt is located at the highest point of the city and is one of the most majestic buildings that you will find yourself visiting. Its 16 -ray rosé represents the wheel of life. Is one of thePlaces symbol of the city of Matera.It is no coincidence that it is located in most photographs of the city. From here you can also enjoy the wonderful panoramic view of the city. ThereCathedral of MateraIt is a monument of extraordinary value, dated around the early 1200s. It was most likely born as a church dedicated to Sant'Eustachio because it was built in the area that in the 11th century had hosted the homonymous Benedictine convent. Destroyed in part by a collapse in 2003, after 13 years she was reopened to the public after a long and attentive reconstruction work and today presents itself in an even more suggestive guise. In particular, the visit to the stone nativity scene made byAltobello Persio, placed at the end of the left nave.Free visits open during the times of the liturgy.
4Lanfranchi Palace
The Lanfranchi Palace of Matera He was born there where in the past the school where he taught for a few years wasGiovanni Pascoli(hence the title of the square in front of the building), the palace houses the museum where extraordinary works of the Neapolitan school of the 17th century are kept. The famous Telero "of great impact"Lucania 61" OfCarlo Levi, the work in which the artist described and denounced the southern question through faces of men and women.Palazzo Lanfranchi tickets: 2 euros full; 1 euro reduced. Telephone: 0823. 256262.
5Archaeological Museum "Domenico Ridola"
Born thanks to the commitment of the doctor MateranoDomenico Ridolawho dedicated his life to archaeological research, theRidola MuseumIt is today a point of reference for researchers not only Italians and offers an incredible panorama of the millennial testimonies discovered in Matera and its surroundings. Established in 1911, by the will of Senator Domenico Ridola who donated its important archaeological collections to the State, the museum presents the important archaeological testimonies found in the areaMatera. In the exhibition spaces, the finds follow a chronological and topographical order. In the prehistoric section, the most significant finds concern the Neolithic age -old villages, which testify, starting from the VI millennium BC, the introduction of agriculture and consequently the structure of stable settlements, according to models defined in the eastern Mediterranean. For the most recent phases of Prehistory and for the VI-IV century AC the most interest documentation is related to Timmari, located a short distance from Matera. From this center, among other things, some funerary funeral of the fourth century AC characterized by bronze armor and monumental red figures vases and numerous votive statuettes, of fine workmanship, found in a sacred area are coming.Tickets: 2.50 euros full; 1.25 reduced. Closed on Monday morning. Telephone: 0835. 310058
Matera Attractions
6House Grotta di Matera
In order to fully understand what was the life of the Matera inhabitants in the stones, we advise you to visit theHome - Matera cave, inhabited by 11 people until 1957. It is a house characterized by a single environment in which a fireplace, a kitchen and a bed with a stuffed mattress of corn leaves, a very small table with a plate, from which the family ate together, a night vase and little else, were inserted. The visit to this particular place is to be included in the list "Matera: what to do".
7 Long Palombaro:Hypogei of Piazza Vittorio Veneto
TheLong palombaroIt is the largest cistern in the city today represents one of the place of interest of Matera. Dug belowPiazza Vittorio VenetoIt once collected rainwater and water from the natural source on the Tramontano castle. With a depth of 15 meters and a capacity of 5000 cubic meters of water, the "water cathedral" was the water reserve of the whole city. They represent the place where from the 1800s, the community has collected the waters thanks to a system that has guaranteed its survival naturally. The subsoil of Piazza Vittorio Veneto has been discovered only recently and open to the public for guided tours in what can be considered the "Ventri della Città" and which is accessed from the most central place of the city where the vestiges of a rock church are still kept.Visits managed by the GTA Basilicata cooperative. Telephone: 339.3638332. Full ticket: 3 euros; Free ticket for Under 18. Open every day from 10.00 to 13.00 and from 15.00 to 18.50.
8Musma, Museum of contemporary sculpture of Matera
Art lovers will not be able to leave out the visit to this museum during the stay in the city of Matera. Located in the ancientPalazzo Pomarici, more known asPalazzo delle 100 rooms, The Museumpresents a very rich collection of sculptures and contemporary works of art that theZetema FoundationIt has largely had as a gift from artists and collectors and developed in 7 hypogean areas dug in the rock. An example of "museum in the cave", unique in the world. Musma is the most important Italian museum entirely dedicated to sculpture. Inserted in the suggestive setting of Palazzo Pomarici (16th century), it is the only "in cave" museum in the world, where a perfect symbiosis is experienced among the sculptures and some of the most characteristic places carved in the Sassi di Matera. The museum spaces, in fact, cover not only the building areas of the palace, but also the large hypogea dug, where the vast collection of works of art is regenerated by the strength of the rock environments. The visitor can therefore experience an ideal integration, of intense emotional impact, between the centuries -old environments "cavated" by man and contemporary sculpture.Timetables: October 21 - March 31: from Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 - 14.00 (afternoon opening for groups and by reservation). 1 April - 20 October, open from Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 - 14.00 / 16.00 - 20.00.Tickets: 5 euros full; 3,50 reduced. Closed on Monday. Info: Synchronos cooperative. Tel. + 39 366 9357768.
9Ortega house
The museum celebrates the presence ofJosè Ortega, Spanish artist who took refuge in Italy, who aMateraHe discovered the art of papier -mâchés and from there the three -dimensionality of painting. Inside the building, very suggestive and placed inheart of the stones, you can admire 20 bas -reliefs made by the artist in recreated environments to describe the atmosphere that lived in the mid -70s in what became an open laboratory. The works that embellish the internal premises are created by the Matera craftsmanGiuseppe Mitarotondafriend and close collaborator ofOrtega. Tickets: 5 euros full; 3.50 euros reduced(7-25 years and ticket holders for Musma). Free up to 6 years. Openings: from October to March, from Tuesday to Friday by reservation (11.30-12.30) by calling the number: 3669357768. Saturday and Sunday open from 10 to 14. Closed on Monday. From April to September: from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 14.00.
10Crypt of original sin
Located a few kilometers from Matera, the crypt was randomly discovered in the 1960s, when it was used by the shepherds to keep the flocks of sheep and offers the visitor's eyes an incredible fresco made 500 years before Giotto and made by the artist best known as "The painter of the Flowers of Matera“. It is considered theSistine chapel of the rock civilization. Telephone for reservations visits: 0835.330583 - 320.3345323.
11Church of San Pietro Barisano
The Church, in the heart ofSasso Barisano, dates back to the twelfth century. In addition to a series of valuable works still kept inside, the church also presents a curious detail: in the basement in fact there are rooms that were used for the "draining" of the corpses. The latter, placed in particular niches dressed with sacred vestments, were removed only to decomposition.For visits: Cooperative "Beyond Art". 327.9803776- 351.0585589 or Viseduadiigate@locrelarthematera.it. Ticket: full 3 euros; reduced 2.50 euros.
12Church of San Pietro Caveoso
Located in the homonymous square, overlooking the Gravina (natural canyon that stands in front of the city), the origin of the church dates back to 1200 even if, over the centuries has undergone a series of changes that have affected both the bell tower and the interior.Free admission. Visits can be made during the times of the liturgical celebrations.
13Cava house
Cava houseIt represents one of the best examples of redevelopment ever applied to a public place in the stones. The ancient quarry, which remained abandoned for a long time and used as a landfill, was discovered casually and then made usable after a careful and respectful work of the places, carried out by the Municipality of Matera. Its rock environments, dug in the rock, make it a unique and unforgettable place. Today it is mainly used as an auditorium and for conference activities.Tickets: 3 euros full; 1.50 euros reduced. Openings: from April to September every day from 10.00 to 13.00 and from 15.00 to 18.00. From October to March open only in the morning from 10.00 to 13.00.
14The Belvedere of Matera
It is the most suggestive place, from which to admire the entire city of Matera that will stand in front of you. It was chosen byMel GibsonTo set theCocifixionof Jesus in the film "The Passion". The BelvedereIt is part of thePark of Murgia Materanaand presents, in its territory, variety of flora of great value. In the same area there is also theEnvironmental education center of Jazzo GattinI, from which to move for guided tours inside the park.Free visits to the Belvedere area. Visits of the CEA (Tel. 0835/332262 - Cell. 388.8925407 Cell. 320.2636528).
15Matera's natural parks and reserves
Matera in its surroundings boast important green areas where it is possible to find unique examples of flora and fauna. TheMurgia Materana Park, established in 1990, theSan Giuliano regional reserve, artificial basin, theColle di Timmari, only 15 km from the city, also hosts theSanctuary of San Salvatoreand an archaeological area.
What to do in Matera: walking in the stones, visiting the historic buildings, stop in the best rooms where you can eat ice cream or have a coffee.
The Slow Way of Life of MateraIt will conquer you from your arrival in the city. TheMatera lifestyleIn fact, he does not know the frenetic times of the metropolis and guarantees us the possibility of spending time savoring the flavors that do not belong only to the gastronomic taste, but also to the beauty of the places.
After making a newcate ofWhat to see in Matera, Here you areWhat to do in Matera, in order not to miss the beauty of the "City of Stones".
16Walk from Piazza Vittorio Veneto to the Cathedral of Matera
Walk, for example, in via delle Beccherie, a feature road that will lead you fromPiazza Vittorio Veneto, meeting place of the community, tosquare of the cathedral, it will represent a pleasant journey with small and pleasant stops in one of the characteristic bars and in the winemakers that combine flavors with the typical colors of the city and the tuff that has naturally carved out extraordinary and unique corners.
17Shopping in Matera
In the same road you will also find boutiques and artistic crafts shops in which to buy hand -made objects, from the objects for the home to the cucù, typical colored artifacts that reproduce the symbol of the city in terracotta.
18Visit the buildings in via Ridola
The same magic will also conquer you inVia RidolaWhere, walking towards Piazzetta Pascoli, you can observe homes in the historic center that contain the history of the great families of the city. In Matera, the taste of life will not abandon you even for a minute.
19Coffee or ice cream at Bar Tripoli
A stop for an ice cream or, simply a coffee, is ritual to the south. Matera is no exception. And so that we advise you to stop atBar Tripoli, a meeting place of the Materans to get more in the heart of the uses and habits of the inhabitants of the city.
20Ridola cafes centrifuged
The centrifuged of theRidola coffee, they are a further reason to stop in the Matera premises, even just for a break during the visit to the city.
21What to do in Matera if you are not tired
If you are not tired of doing up and down for the stones, here are 3 more things to do in Matera:
- Visit by motorcarrozzetta in the stones;
- Walk in Piazzetta Pascoli with souvenir photos in front of the belvedere on the caveoso stone;
- Walk in Piazza Vittorio Veneto with souvenir photos at the Belvedere Guerricchio on the Sasso Barisano.
Matera to know: the stones in the past, European capital of culture 2019, UNESCO heritage, Matera and the places of the films.
22Matera, the stones between past and present
The past of the city is marked by what can be called a historical watershed: in the 1950s De Gasperi visitedMateraand, after an inspection inSassi di Materain which people of dramatic promiscuity people and animals lived in conditions of dramatic promiscuity in the almost total lack of hygiene, decided to evicted. It belongs to that historical phase, which continued in the years to come, the birth project of the neighborhoods in the upper part of the city, defined "Floor".
The creation of the "new" city is due toAdriano Olivetti and Commission for the study of the city and the Agro di Matera. Citizens evacuated bySassiThus obtained houses in which the rural space (stables and land to be cultivated) were clearly distinct from that reserved for people.
23Matera UNESCO Heritage
The extraordinary path taken byMateraand by the Materans it was universally recognized in 1993 when theUnesconamed the cityWorld Heritage of Humanity. The motivation that led Matera and the stones to become a UNESCO heritage is summarized in this sentence: "The set of stones and the archaeological and natural park of the rock churches of Matera constitutes a unique testimony of human activity. The pre -eminent universal value derives from the symbiosis between the cultural and natural characteristics of the place ". In particular: "The stones and the Matera park are a remarkable example of rock settlement perfectly adapted to the geomorphological context and the ecosystem through a continuity of over two millennia; The city and the park are a remarkable example of architectural and landscape complex that illustrates a significant number of stadiums in the history of humanity; The city and the park are a remarkable example of human settlement and use of traditional territory that show the evolution of a culture that has maintained harmonious relationships over time with the natural environment ".
24Matera European Capital of Culture 2019
The October 17, 2014Matera was awarded the title ofEuropean capital of culture for 2019, a recognition that is committing the city to a path that has made its interpreter of all European cultures in less than a year and that citizens are experiencing with great turmoil both from a cultural and social point of view. It is this enthusiasm that has been breathed by walking in the city, traveling places in which they livedGiovanni Pascoli,Carlo Levibut also directors likePier Paolo Pasolini, Francesco Rosi, Mel Gibson and Cinzia Th Torrini.
25Matera and the cinema
Matera, an extraordinary example of the work of nature, was chosen by directors from all over the world to setHistoric Kolossal and television fictionsuccessful. TheCinema, in fact, is one of the main resources of MateraWhich shows itself as a natural set and which today is discovering its film face with a newfound enthusiasm especially in the international context. IfMel GibsonHe confessed to have decided to turn "The Passion"After seeing"The Gospel according to Matteo"Of Pasolini, other directors today reach this city to find those colors and atmospheres, made even more suggestive by the new technologies that are developing in this sector.
Matera in pills: where it is found, what to eat, where to sleep, curiosity.
26Where is Matera
Where is Matera:Matera is located in Basilicata, at a height of about 400 meters above sea level. With Potenza (regional capital) represents a capital of Basilicata. Between Matera and Potenza there are 100 kilometers. While Potenza is west of the region, on the Campania borders, Matera is located in the east, towards Bari, on the Apulian borders.
27How to get to Matera
The city of Matera is easily accessible by car, but you can also get there by bus or plane. ForGetting to Matera, the airportClose is that of Bari - Palese, which is about 80 km away. From there you can then use a well -organized shuttle service or the railway service. Matera is the only capital that is not served by the State Railways but only by those of the Apulo Lucanian.
28How to move to Matera
Matera visits strictly on foot, also because many areas are limited or completely closed to traffic. On the other hand, Matera is so small that only by walking on foot can you enjoy every extraordinary corner. Wear comfortable shoes, as you will find yourself having to face stairways and streets in the stones often a little impervious and also slipped. But the effort will be rewarded by the wonder that you will find yourself observing. We assure you! The alternative is the rental of a bicycle. Find the offer on the site in different points of interest.
29Where to eat in Matera
As mentioned above, the area with the largest number ofTypical restaurants to eat in Matera, is that ofSasso Barisano; in the list "Matera, what to eat"Remember to insert the main traditional dishes, such as:Matera bread, Matera product par excellence;beans and chicory, dish belonging to the peasant popular tradition;crapia Materana, legume and wheat soup, one of the typical dishes of the city. Alternatively, you can choose apizzeria in MateraTo taste a good pizza.
30Where to sleep in Matera
So that your holiday is unforgettable, for the choice of yoursHotel in MateraWe advise you to sleep in the heart of the stones. So you can better savor the atmosphere that this city can give. It will be like making a leap in the past and living a truly unique experience. Matera's accommodation offer is very wide: from the B&B, to the luxury hotel, passing through the holiday home. Here you will find a wide selection of the best accommodation facilities forSleeping in Matera. Greater inconveniences to stay in the city can be there during the very high season, such as Christmas or Horse of the Bruna Feast (2 July), patron of Matera.
Matera is the emotion you still miss.
