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Offered languages
- English
- English
Matera is one of Italy's most singular cities, where cave dwellings and Baroque cathedrals share the same ancient rock. On this self-guided audio tour, you'll trace the city's full arc, from medieval origins and desperate poverty to its reinvention as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Starting at the Chiesa di San Francesco, you'll climb to the refined Piano quarter before descending into the Sasso Caveoso, where families once shared single rooms with their livestock.
Along the way, discover Matera's extraordinary underground water system, including a cistern holding 5 million litres, and the story of the vicinato — communal cave neighbourhoods that sustained social life from prehistory through the 1950s. The tour ends at the cliff-carved monastery of Madonna delle Virtù e San Nicola dei Greci, where Byzantine frescoes document the shift from rigid, solemn saints to more expressive, human figures.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
This tour starts at Chiesa di San Francesco. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
Tour ends at Madonna delle Virtù e San Nicola dei Greci
Itinerary
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Piazza del Sedile (Pass by)
Begin your walk in Piazza del Sedile, once called Piazza Maggiore and the city's main administrative hub since the 14th century. Take in the Palazzo del Sedile, seat of Matera's self-governing citizen assembly for centuries, its facade adorned with statues of the city's patron saints.
Admission ticket free -
Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi (Pass by)
Discover the Chiesa di San Francesco, whose 18th-century Rococo facade conceals layers of art dating back to the 1200s. Step inside to uncover centuries of artistic history hidden behind this later, more ornate exterior.
Admission ticket free -
Cattedrale di Matera (Pass by)
Visit the austere Romanesque cathedral, whose interior hides a 13th-century fresco of the Last Judgment. Look closely to spot friars tied to unclothed women, a pointed medieval dig at clerical hypocrisy.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Explore the Domenico Ridola Archaeological Museum, home to a 1.5-million-year-old whale fossil found near Matera. Discover artefacts spanning the city's history from prehistory through antiquity.
Admission ticket free -
Castello Tramontano, Matera, Italy (Pass by)
Discover the story of Count Tramontano and his 16th-century castle. Learn how his unpopular rule and this unfinished fortress became entwined in Matera's turbulent history.
Admission ticket free -
Chiesa del Purgatorio (Pass by)
Marvel at the Chiesa del Purgatorio's striking facade, carved with skulls and skeletons representing nobles, clergy, and commoners alike, all equal in death. Step through its 36-panel wooden door into a surprisingly bright and colourful Baroque interior, built between 1725 and 1747.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Discover how Matera's extraordinary underground water system, including this cistern holding 5 million litres, helped earn its UNESCO status. Marvel at the scale of this hidden engineering feat carved beneath the city's main square.
Admission ticket free -
Chiesa Di San Pietro Caveoso (Pass by)
Stand before the Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso, perched dramatically on the edge of the ravine overlooking the Gravina. Explore this 13th-century church, rebuilt in Baroque style in the 17th century, and one of Sasso Caveoso's most important spiritual landmarks.
Admission ticket free -
Church of Saint Peter 'Barisano' (Pass by)
Explore San Pietro Barisano, the largest rock-hewn church in Matera, carved into the cliff since the 12th century. Discover its underground niches once used for draining corpses, along with 15th- and 16th-century frescoes of saints and biblical scenes.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Visit two interconnected rock churches, Madonna dell'Idris and San Giovanni in Monterrone, carved into the same cliff. Discover Byzantine frescoes here that document the shift from rigid, solemn saints to more expressive, human figures.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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