Matera e la Murgia

Matera is the starting point of almost every trip to Basilicata: the Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, are a town carved into the rock of the Gravina ravine, with cave houses, cisterns and dozens of rock churches. Across the ravine, the Murgia Materana Park holds more rock settlements, trails and the viewpoints from which you see the whole town.

Around Matera the area continues with villages worth at least a detour: Montescaglioso with the abbey of Sant’Angelo, Miglionico with the Malconsiglio castle and Cima da Conegliano’s polyptych, Pomarico, Grottole with its castle ruins and roofless church, Grassano, Irsina with the statue of Saint Euphemia attributed to Mantegna, and Tricarico, with its medieval old town, towers and carnival masks.

It is an area for two or three days, alternating the town, the Murgia landscape and the wheat-covered hills of the Bradano.

For the Sassi, viewpoints, rock churches and itineraries, read our complete guide to Matera.