Matera Tuk Tuk Tour: Sassi Districts & Casa Cave House

How did Matera go from Italy's poorest city to a UNESCO World Heritage site?

You ride through three districts of the Sassi in a tuk tuk with a local guide who explains how Matera transformed from poverty to UNESCO status. You visit the Cathedral, step inside a casa cave house museum to see how families lived, stop for photos at panoramic points, and see a miniature sculpture workshop. Private transport is included, and the whole experience takes just over an hour.

Step-by-step itinerary

Matera city tour and historic sites

• Visit main square of Sasso Caveoso
• Stop at Cathedral and admire interior
• Cross city with panoramic stops
• Panoramic stop for photos and explanation
• Visit typical casa cave house museum
• See sculpture and workshop of Sassi in miniature

The experience

You'll find out in about an hour, riding through the Sassi of Matera in a tuk tuk, which sounds gimmicky until you realize how narrow these streets actually are. A regular bus can't fit. The three districts (Sasso Caveoso, Sasso Barisano, and the historic center) stack on top of each other in a way that makes sense only when you're moving through them slowly enough to see the details: the carved doorways, the laundry strung between buildings, the way light hits the pale stone at different angles depending on where you stop.

Your local guide meets you at the main square of Sasso Caveoso and starts with the Cathedral. You can step inside on your own if you want, or stay outside and listen to the story of how this city went from being called a "national shame" in the 1950s to hosting film productions and drawing tourists from everywhere. The tuk tuk takes you across the Sassi with stops for photos and explanation, and then you get to see inside a casa cave house, which is the thing most people actually want to understand: what it was like to live in these carved-out rooms, stacked four or five stories high, where families and animals shared the same space until the 1960s. There's a house museum that shows you the setup: the stone beds, the kitchen carved into the rock, the way they managed light and water.

The last stop is the workshop of a local artist who makes miniature versions of the Sassi: tiny carved buildings, detailed enough that you can see the windows and the texture of the stone. It's the kind of thing that seems small until you realize someone spent months on it. The whole route takes just over an hour, and because you're in a tuk tuk instead of walking or sitting on a bus, you're not exhausted by the end. You can actually think about what you've seen.

What’s included

Your tour includes private tuk tuk transportation throughout the three Sassi districts, a local guide who shares the history of Matera's transformation, a stop at the Cathedral, entry to a casa cave house museum where you can see how families lived, panoramic stops for photos and explanation, and a visit to a local artist's workshop featuring miniature Sassi sculptures.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by ApeVito Tour Experience

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the layout and story of the Sassi without the physical strain of walking steep streets for hours. The tuk tuk does the navigation, and the local guide fills in why each part matters.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

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 is the Matera tuk tuk tour?

Just over one hour, including all stops and the casa cave house visit.

What's included in the tour?

Private tuk tuk transportation, local guide, stops at the Cathedral, casa cave house museum, panoramic viewpoints, and the miniature sculpture workshop.

Can I choose what time the tour starts?

Yes. You can request your preferred departure time when you book.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are permitted on the tour.

Do I need to walk a lot?

No. Most of the tour is by tuk tuk. You'll walk briefly to enter the casa cave house and the workshop, but it's not a walking tour.

What is a casa cave house?

A traditional dwelling carved directly into the rock of the Sassi, where families lived stacked several stories high. The museum shows how people lived in these spaces until the 1960s.

Is the Cathedral entrance included?

The tuk tuk stops at the Cathedral, and you can visit the interior independently if you choose. It's not a guided stop inside.