Matera is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities — a southern Italian marvel where cave dwellings carved from rock gaze across a ravine like a portal to the Stone Age. This UNESCO World Heritage site was European Capital of Culture 2019 and is one of Italy's hottest destinations.
700K
visitors/year
Best time to visit
April–June and September–October — cool and dry; July is hot but the evening light is magical
Top sights & experiences
- 🏚️ Sassi Cave Dwellings
- ⛪ Rupestrian Cave Churches
- 🌄 Murgia Timone Viewpoint
- 🕍 Matera Cathedral
- 🍷 Basilicata Wine & Peperoni Cruschi
- 🌟 Matera at Night — Illuminated Sassi
Perfect for
CouplesHistoryPhotography
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