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Offered languages
- English
- Italian
- Spanish
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 miss to visit Matera!
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Pick up at 6:00 am at your accomodation (hotel, B&B, apartment). Please confirm us the pick up address. N.B.: If your accomodation is not in the area indicated on the above map, send us a message to arrange your pick up.
Itinerary
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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.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Customers with physical limitations can have problems walking on eneven ground;
- Child rate applies only when shared with 2 paying adults.
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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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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