Matera tuk tuk tour through Sassi: 50 minutes by Ape Calessino

The Sassi are built into the cliff itself, not on top of it.

This guided tuk tuk tour of Matera takes you through the Sassi di Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of two ancient districts carved into the Murgia rock, aboard an Ape Calessino with a driver and multilingual audio guide. The tour runs 50 minutes and includes entry to Casa Grotta Narrante, a restored cave dwelling that shows how people lived here for thousands of years. A minimum of two people per booking is required; infants sit on an adult's lap.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Matera by Ape Calessino tuk tuk

• Board the tuk tuk at office
• Visit Piazza San Francesco
• Pass by Piazza del Sedile
• Stop at Matera Cathedral
• View Sasso Barisano and Church of Sant'Agostino
• Explore Sassi of Matera districts
• Enter a Casa Grotta cave dwelling
• Admire Church of San Pietro Caveoso
• Return via Via Bruno Buozzi to Piazzetta Pascoli

The Experience

The tour begins at the office, where you board the iconic tuk tuk and head straight into the city's layered history. Piazza San Francesco opens with the Baroque Church of San Francesco d'Assisi, then Piazza del Sedile and the Matera Cathedral follow in quick succession—each stop a different era of the city's religious life. The tuk tuk moves you through these plazas without the walking that would tire you out before the main event.

Then comes the Sassi itself. The driver takes you to Sasso Barisano first, where you stop at the Church of Sant'Agostino for photos before descending into the two ancient districts—Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano—where buildings and homes are carved directly from the rock face. You step into Casa Grotta Narrante, a real cave dwelling restored to show the peasant life that occupied these spaces since prehistoric times. The audio guide, available in Italian, English, Spanish and French, explains what you're looking at as you move through the rooms.

The ride ends at Piazza San Pietro Caveoso, perched on the cliff of the Gravina, where the Church of San Pietro Caveoso sits dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. From there, the tuk tuk takes you back through Via Bruno Buozzi to Piazzetta Pascoli. Before you leave, you can request a 10% discount coupon at MòVado Food & Drink from the office staff.

What’s included

• Driver and 50-minute guided ride through Matera aboard the Ape Calessino tuk tuk.
• audio guide in Italian, English, Spanish, or French.
• admission to Casa Grotta Narrante cave dwelling museum.
• a 10% discount coupon at MòVado Food & Drink that you can claim at the office.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Martulli Viaggi

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the Sassi without navigating the steep, winding streets on foot—the tuk tuk does the climbing and turning for you, and stops at the key churches and viewpoints along the way. The 50-minute length works if you're in Matera for a short time and need the highlights without a full-day commitment.

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Top questions

What is Casa Grotta Narrante and why is it included in the tour?

Casa Grotta Narrante is a restored cave dwelling inside the Sassi that shows how families actually lived in these rock-carved homes for thousands of years. Admission is included so you can walk through the rooms and see the ancient peasant civilization firsthand instead of just viewing the district from outside.

Can I walk around the Sassi on my own, or do I stay in the tuk tuk the whole time?

You ride the tuk tuk through most of the tour, but you get out to enter Casa Grotta Narrante and to stop for photos at the Church of Sant'Agostino and Piazza San Pietro Caveoso. The tour is designed to cover the main sights without long stretches on foot.

What languages is the audio guide available in?

The audio guide comes in Italian, English, Spanish, and French, so you hear explanations in your choice of language as the tuk tuk moves through each stop.

How many people do I need to book this tour?

A minimum of two people per booking is required. Infants can sit on an adult's lap and do not count as a separate booking.

What is the Ape Calessino and why is this tour different from a regular bus?

The Ape Calessino is a three-wheeled tuk tuk, a traditional vehicle that fits the narrow streets of the Sassi better than a bus and gives you an open-air ride through the city. It moves slower than a car, so you see the streets and buildings up close without the barrier of windows.