- Sassi di Matera - Matera is located in a remote corner of Southern Italy in the small region of Basilicata. It’s not the easiest place to reach which is why it has managed to remain relatively unknown and preserved, especially to foreign tourists. Buildings climb up and down the hillside, houses piled on top of each other, the roofs of some acting as streets for those above. They were carved out of the rock and the original caves extended with facades that look like normal homes. Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in history dating back to the Palaeolithic period. On the other side of the ravine you can see the simple forms of the Neolithic caves where people lived 7000 years ago. A dense structure of narrow streets and alleyways fill up with the lights of the evening, giving off the impression that one is strolling through a Nativity scene made of papier-mâché. This is Matera, European Capital of Culture 2019, where the Rupestrian churches and uber-famous Sassi, the very peculiar settlements carved into the rock, were included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. A walk through Matera’s historic center, will carry visitors back into a long forgotten past. The zone was already inhabited during the Paleolithic Era, when the first settlements were established in these calcarenite grottoes. The terrain around Matera, it is so fascinating that earns the nickname “The Second Bethlehem”, and has impressed writers, artists and directors for centuries; you may recall, that Mel Gibson chose to film The Passion of the Christ in Matera.
- Tickets for entry to an ancient house and the ‘rupestre’ church.
- Private English-speaking escort for the entire tour.
- Guided walking tour with a local professional guide.
- Luxury transport with pick-up and drop-off including a private chauffeur.
- Food and beverages;
- Gratuities (optional)
Matera is a uniquely magnificent destination like no other in Italy, let alone globally. Once a national embarrassment for Italy due to severe poverty, high infant death rates, and malaria, with inhabitants subsisting in cave dwellings without basic amenities like electricity, running water or sanitation system, until the 1950s. Carlo Levi’s publication, ‘Christ Stopped at Eboli’, shed light on the dire living standards of the people, leading to nearly half of the 30,000 inhabitants relocating to new abodes in the progressive part of the city between 1953 and 1968. Matera is nestled in the remote southern extremity of Italy, specifically in the minor region of Basilicata. Its isolated positioning has helped to keep it mostly hidden from foreign tourists. However, after being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, tourist footfall has incrementally increased, and several caves have been artfully repurposed into avant-garde hotels and eateries. Do not miss the chance to explore Matera!
- Customers with physical limitations can have problems walking on eneven ground;
- Child rate applies only when shared with 2 paying adults.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
