Matera Private Day Tour from Rome

Matera is one of the most extraordinary and ancient cities in Italy—and in the world—located in the region of Basilicata, in southern Italy. Often called the “City of the Sassi,” Matera is famous for its prehistoric cave dwellings carved directly into limestone rock. These homes, churches, and cisterns have been inhabited continuously for over 9,000 years, making Matera one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on Earth. In 1993, the Sassi of Matera were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as a remarkable example of how humans adapted to their natural environment over millennia.

What's included

Destination

Basilicata Discover Basilicata

Departure Location

Pick up at 7:00 am at your accomodation (hotel, B&B, apartment) in Rome. Please confirm us the pick up address.

Return Location

Drop off to your accomodation (hotel, B&B, apartment) in Rome.

Additional Prices

Adult: €780 Young: €340 Child: €240

It’s one of the most unique and spectacular places in Italy or anywhere in the world.Until the 1950s, Matera was a source of shame for Italy, a place of poverty, malaria and high rates of infant mortality, where people lived in caves without electricity, running water or sewage. Carlo Levi’s book “Christ Stopped at Eboli” raised awareness of the desperate conditions people were living in and about half of the 30,000 population were moved to new homes in the modern part of the city between 1953 and 1968. Matera is located in a remote corner of Southern Italy in the small region Basilicata. It’s not the easiest place to reach which is why it has managed to remain relatively unknown, especially to foreign tourists, although since it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 visitor numbers are slowly growing and many of the caves have been transformed into stylish hotels and restaurants. Don’t forget to visit Matera!

PRIVATE TOUR MINIMUM 2 PEOPLE

EXTRA PERSON €300,00

Includes:

Pick-up and drop off with luxury transportation and private chauffeur
Private tour leader at your disposal (choose the language on the checkout)
Entrance tickets at the “rupestre” Church
Entrance tickets in an ancient typical house
Private walking tour with local professional tour guide

Not Included:

22% vat tax
Food and beverages
Gratuities. If you are satisfied with the service, a gratuity is customary.

More about this tour

MATERA

Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Sassi di Matera do not identify with a monument, but, instead, with a way of life and a model of development that lasted for millennia. The Sassi represent a unique urban settlement in the harsh territorial area of Murge (Apulia region). Matera rises on a limestone plateau, showing a magnificent abnormality: a central fissure, as a real 70-80 metres high canyon, crossed by the Gravina torrent. The area of Matera was continuously inhabited since the Paleolithic era. The specific districts of the Sassi were built in the late 5th century. The alternation of populations over time has left an intricate urban system, where the buildings overlap the natural cavities. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the districts of the Sassi have served as home to the poorest of the city. Later on, a real "relocation plan" has been implemented into a new neighborhood and a redevelopment and requalification process of the area has been undertaken. Therefore, it is possible today to admire the original unit of the Sassi and the dwellings carved into the rock and the tophus, experiencing a unique sensation: like being within a crib. The stunning scenario of Matera has been the set for many famous and less famous films, both national and international, including the spectacular "The Passion" by Mel Gibson.