Matera in a nutshell
Matera is a city in Basilicata, in southern Italy. The historic center is made of the Sassi, two old districts of houses and rooms cut into the rock, and the Civita between them, where the cathedral stands. UNESCO inscribed "The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera" in 1993. The park of rock churches lies across the ravine from the city.
Matera is not a ghost town. UNESCO describes how the population of the Sassi was moved out in the 1950s and how residents have been coming back since the 1980s. Today the districts hold homes, hotels, restaurants and museums. This is an independent guide. It is not run by the city, a museum or a tour operator. Prices are 2026 listings and they change.
The districts of the old town
Three areas, each with its own character.
Sasso Caveoso
One of the two historic Sassi districts, with stairs, lanes and the Palazzo Pomarici, where MUSMA is housed. The rock churches have their own section on the Sassi page.
The Sassi di Matera →Sasso Barisano
The second historic district. San Pietro Barisano is the church to know here, and cave hotels use rooms in this area.
Matera cave hotels →The Civita and the cathedral
The Civita lies between Caveoso and Barisano, and the cathedral stands here. The two Sassi districts and the Civita together form the historic town.
Things to do in Matera →
Our picks: Matera tours
A guided Sassi walk, an open-top bus and a cooking class at a local's home.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Pasta and tiramisu class at a local's home
You make two kinds of pasta and tiramisu, then eat them as lunch or dinner. Prosecco with nibbles, water, wine and coffee are included.
Check availability →
Sassi walk with a cave house and a rock church
A licensed guide, entry to a cave house museum and to the rock church of Sant'Antonio Abate, plus a discount coupon.
Check availability →
Open-top bus tour of the Sassi
An on-board companion in Italian and English, a stop at Piazza San Pietro Caveoso with free time, Casa Grotta entry and a Sassi map. There is no guide during the free stop.
Check availability →Matera tours and day trips
Guided walks through the Sassi, day trips and food experiences, with live prices and availability.
Tickets and hours in 2026
Each site sets its own prices. Dates in the notes show when the operator published the rate.
| Site | Price in 2026 | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock churches (Santa Lucia alle Malve, Madonna de Idris with San Giovanni in Monterrone, San Pietro Barisano) | €4.50 for one, €8 for two, €10 for three | Santa Lucia and Idris daily 09:30–19:30; San Pietro Barisano 10:00–19:00 | Hours from 28 March 2026. Closed 2 July and 25 December. Show your online ticket. Tickets are not refundable. |
| Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario | €8; €5 reduced; €3 for ages 11–18; free to age 10 | January to March and October to December: weekdays 09:30–18:00, weekends to 19:00. April to June and September: weekdays 09:30–19:00, weekends to 20:00. July and August: daily 09:00–20:30 | New rates from 4 April 2026. Last entry 20 minutes before closing. The ticket covers four rooms, three with an audio guide. |
| Palombaro Lungo | €3 for adults, free for minors | Daily 10:00–13:00 and 15:00–18:00 | A cistern under Piazza Vittorio Veneto. About 15 minutes, no reservations, no animals. Pay on site in cash or by card. |
| MUSMA | €10 full price per the operator; €5 for ages 7–18 and students | Daily 10:00–20:00 per the operator's header; the winter block says 10:00–18:00 from October to March | Sources differ on price and opening days. Last entry one hour before closing. Check before you go. |
| Combined ticket | €25, €16 reduced | – | Eight sites, including the church complexes, Casa Grotta, Vicinato a Pozzo, MATA, the Purgatorio exhibition and the bread museum. It does not cover Palombaro, MUSMA or Vico Solitario. |
The combined ticket does not include the Vico Solitario house, so buy that entry separately. A guided Caveoso walk costs €20 and lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes. Children up to 14 join for free, and you should arrive 15 minutes early at Via B. Buozzi 91/b. Wear non-slip shoes and bring water and sun or rain protection.
Stairs, traffic and parking
What to expect on the ground.
Stairs and step-free access
The Sassi climb a steep slope above the ravine, and the lanes are stone and steps. Step-free routes are not confirmed for the churches, museums or hotels described here, and an older access sketch for one hotel shows a staircase to the reception. If you use a wheelchair or walker, ask each site before you go.
Driving into the Sassi
Access for the streets around D'Addozio and Buozzi is restricted under an ordinance of 2025. From 1 July to 15 September it applies from 10:00 to 24:00, and from 16 September to 30 June from 10:00 to 20:30. Hotels and garages can ask the municipality for an authorized transit, but a booking alone is not a free pass. Ask your hotel how arrival works.
Parking
General municipal rates and free lots are not covered here. One hotel in Sasso Barisano offers a partner garage for €40 a night with transfers. That deal applies to its guests only. Do not count on finding parking near the Sassi.
The walk to the Gravina bridge
Since 1 March 2026, path 406 from Porta Pistola has had controlled access and a tourist ticket. The park authority classes it as EE, for experienced hikers, while the operator calls it medium. The operator lists €15 from 1 April to 31 October and €10 from 1 November to 31 March, with a 50 percent reduction under age 25. Wear hiking shoes, because flip-flops and sandals are not allowed.
When to go
Long-term averages for the province of Matera, 1981 to 2010. They are not a forecast and not a city station.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.6°C | 4.3°C | 61 mm |
| April | 16.8°C | 8.5°C | 52 mm |
| July | 29.4°C | 19.5°C | 26 mm |
| October | 20.4°C | 12.8°C | 77 mm |
For sightseeing on foot, spring and autumn are less hot than midsummer, though autumn brings more rain. Averages hide heat spikes, so carry water in summer.
Plan the rest
Where to sleep, how to arrive and where to go next.
Staying in a cave room is one of the reasons people come. See Matera cave hotels for what to expect and where to stay for the other bases in the region. For the train from Bari, the bus and driving, read getting there. If your trip continues into Calabria, that region has its own guide, including one for its beaches.
Matera: frequently asked questions
Is Matera a ghost town?
No. UNESCO describes the relocation of the Sassi population in the 1950s and the return of residents since the 1980s. People live, sleep and work in the Sassi today. The ghost town in the region is Craco, a different place; see the Craco page.
Is there an entry fee for the Sassi?
The districts are lived-in neighborhoods. Admission is charged by site: the rock churches, the Casa Grotta, Palombaro and MUSMA each have their own price. A combined ticket for eight sites costs €25 in 2026.
Do I need to book the churches in advance?
The operator sells tickets online, and you show the confirmation. Tickets are not refundable. A general rule that every church needs a booking is not published, so check the operator's page for your date.
Is Matera suitable for wheelchairs or walkers?
Be cautious. The Sassi are steep, with many steps. Step-free access is not confirmed for the churches, museums or hotels, so ask each site before you go. See the section on stairs above.
Can I drive to my hotel in the Sassi?
Not without checking. The traffic restriction applies in the Sassi, and one cave hotel states that guests cannot drive up to it. Ask your hotel how arrival and luggage transfer work.
When is the best time to visit Matera?
For walking, spring and autumn are less hot than July and August, when province averages reach about 29°C. October has the most rain of the four months above. Opening hours also change with the season, so check the table above.