Gravina di Matera & Bat Cave tour: Rock church & caves

A ravine walk past tunnels, frescoes and the breeding grounds of bats

A 3-hour guided tour from Matera follows the Gravina di Matera ravine along the Murgia Materana Regional Park, stopping at the rock church of San Nicola all'Ofra (a farmhouse with rooms, tunnels, stairways and cisterns carved three levels deep into the cliff), and the Bat Cave, a karst complex where 19th-century archaeologists uncovered Paleolithic tools, ceramics and cave bear fossils. A live guide speaks English or Italian. Private transportation and pickup are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Gravina di Matera and Bat Cave

• Walk along Gravina di Matera ravine
• Visit rock church of San Nicola all'Ofra
• Explore karst Bat Cave and tunnels

The experience

You start from Matera and head out along the ridge of the Gravina di Matera, a ravine carved by its stream over millennia. The path follows the water's edge for almost 20 kilometres as it flows south toward Montescaglioso. The UNESCO-listed Sassi district sits behind you on the cliff above. The Murgia Materana Regional Park spreads across the landscape, and the steep rocky walls here are home to the rare black stork, a bird that had vanished from the region until recent years.

The first stop is the rock church of San Nicola all'Ofra, a cluster of caves where rooms, tunnels, stairways and cisterns communicate with each other across three levels of height, all carved into the cliff face. Frescoes remain on the walls. The site overlooks the ravine itself, and the scale of the work (rooms dug by hand into calcarenite stone) becomes clear only when you stand inside it.

The Bat Cave comes next, a complex of karst passages with large entrances and long, narrow tunnels that serve as a breeding site for flying mammals. In the 19th century, the local archaeologist Domenico Ridola excavated here and found Paleolithic tools, ceramics, tombs with skeletons and fossils of extinct animals: the ancient ox and the cave bear among them. Those finds now sit in the Domenico Ridola National Archaeological Museum in Matera. The cave also holds the legendary treasure of King Barbarossa in local lore, though the history and the legend have blurred over centuries.

What’s included

• Private transportation and pickup from Matera.
• a live guide in English or Italian.
• access to the rock church of San Nicola all'Ofra and the Bat Cave.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to Saturday

AgesAdult (18 to 72 years) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (2 to 13 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 50 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Viandanti del Sud

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Italian, so you follow the commentary in whichever language works for you. The 3-hour span and the ravine path suit anyone comfortable with a steady walk on uneven ground, though the caves themselves involve narrow passages and require ducking in places.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (2 to 13 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long does the Gravina di Matera tour take?

The tour runs for 3 hours, starting from Matera and returning by private vehicle.

What is the rock church of San Nicola all'Ofra?

San Nicola all'Ofra is a farmhouse carved into the cliff with rooms, tunnels, stairways, cisterns and churches that communicate across three levels of height. Frescoes decorate the walls, and the site overlooks the Gravina di Matera ravine.

What will I see inside the Bat Cave?

The Bat Cave is a karst complex with large entrances and long, narrow tunnels where bats breed. Paleolithic tools, ceramics and fossils of extinct animals like the cave bear were found here in the 19th century and are now displayed in Matera's archaeological museum.

Is the guide available in English?

Yes, the live guide speaks both English and Italian, so you can choose the language that suits you.

Does the tour include transportation from my hotel?

Private pickup from Matera is included, and the tour uses private transportation throughout.