Cisterns, cave churches and a house walled up in 1956
Matera is two cave districts, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, either side of the Civita ridge that carries the cathedral. You walk all of it, so the car stays at Saragat.
1. Go under Piazza Vittorio Veneto
The Palombaro Lungo is the city's largest public cistern, about 14 m deep and 50 m long, holding over five million litres. It was found again in 1991 during work on the square.
2. Climb to Santa Maria de Idris
Santa Maria de Idris is a rock church on the crag above the Sasso Caveoso. Its altar was added in 1804; paintings cut from its walls in the 1960s now hang in Palazzo Lanfranchi. I'd go for the view as much as the church.
3. Step into the Vico Solitario cave house
The Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario keeps a family's bed, loom and stable as they were. Its family was moved out and the cave walled up on 16 April 1956. Adults paid €3 in 2021.
4. Walk the Civita to the cathedral
The Cattedrale di Matera is Romanesque and crowns the ridge between the two Sassi. The walk up is the point.
5. Count the rock churches
There are about ten cave churches in the Sassi and over 150 around Matera. San Pietro Barisano is the one I'd pick in the Barisano.
6. Cross to the Murgia side
The Parco della Murgia Materana protects the rock churches across the ravine. You look back at the whole town from there.
Matera bread stamped MT, and crisp red peppers
1. Buy a loaf of Pane di Matera
Pane di Matera has been a protected geographical indication since 2008. It's durum wheat semolina, shaped as a horn or a tall loaf, stamped MT before baking, and a 1 kg loaf keeps about seven days. Antica Forneria dei Sassi is one bakery to try.
2. Crunch a peperone crusco
Sweet local peppers, sun-dried, then fried for seconds. They're crumbled over pasta or eaten like crisps.
3. Order strascinate with turnip tops
Matera's version swaps the Bari anchovies for peperoni cruschi. I'd order this over orecchiette.
4. Eat cialledda on a hot day
A cold bread salad of stale bread, tomato, onion, cucumber and oil. It's what the bread is for on day five.
5. Book a trattoria on Via Lucana
Trattoria Lucana sits on the road from the car parks, so it's an easy last stop before the drive.
Matera tears its own float apart on 2 July
1. Keep Friday 2 July 2027 free
The Festa della Bruna honours the city's patron on 2 July, held for over 600 years. It starts before dawn with the shepherds' procession; in the evening the papier-mâché float is torn to pieces in Piazza Vittorio Veneto.
2. Park outside before the procession
Traffic arrangements for 2027 aren't published. I'd be at Saragat by mid-morning and not move the car until the next day.
3. Ask about the crapiata in August
One food guide puts a crapiata festival, the bean-and-grain harvest soup, on 1 August each year. No official 2027 date yet.
What's on
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Friday 2 July 2027 | Festa della Bruna: shepherds' procession before dawn, the papier-mâché float torn apart in Piazza Vittorio Veneto in the evening. Traffic arrangements not yet published |
| 1 August (2027 date not confirmed) | Crapiata, the harvest soup festival, according to one food guide |
| November 2026 – October 2027 | No other dated events published by the comune or the tourist board when checked |