Matera Walking Tour: 2 Hours in Sassi di Matera with Local Guide

Two hours threading the stone streets where cinema was made

A 2-hour private walking tour of Matera's Sassi di Matera, the UNESCO World Heritage district, led by a certified local guide. The route covers Sasso Caveoso, the baroque quarter, rupestrian churches including San Pietro Caveoso and Santa Lucia alle Malve, and the rock-carved casagrotta dwellings. You start at Piazzetta Pascoli, which overlooks the entire Sassi and the Murge upland, and walk the same streets used as film locations by Pasolini and Mel Gibson. A guide fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French or German accompanies you throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Matera's historic sites

• Meet at Piazzetta Pascoli viewpoint
• Walk streets featured in famous films
• View Palazzo Lanfranchi museum
• Explore Sassi di Matera districts
• Visit San Pietro Caveoso church
• See Santa Lucia alle Malve church
• Discover La Casagrotta rock dwelling

The experience

Two hours is enough to move through the Sassi without rushing, and the guide shapes the pace around what matters most to you. You meet at Piazzetta Pascoli, where the first stop is a vantage point over the entire district and the landscape beyond: the Murge upland stretches out in one view. From there, the walk descends into the stone quarters themselves, threading past the Palazzo Lanfranchi (which houses the Museum of modern and medieval art of Basilicata) and into the two main districts: Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano. The streets are narrow and carved into the rock, and the guide points out which scenes from major films were shot here: Pasolini and Mel Gibson both used these locations for their productions.

The tour includes two churches: San Pietro Caveoso, one of Matera's major religious landmarks, and Santa Lucia alle Malve, a rupestrian church built into the stone that once housed Benedictine nuns between the 8th and 16th centuries. You also see La Casagrotta, a typical dwelling of the Sassi carved directly into the rock across four rooms on three levels, with a stable and cellar attached: the kind of home that shaped rural life here for centuries. The guide is certified and speaks your language throughout, so questions about the history, the architecture or the films are answered as you walk.

The route is moderate in intensity and requires comfortable shoes. The streets are uneven and sometimes steep. Children must be accompanied by an adult. If you want to enter any of the rupestrian churches with frescoes or tour a furnished casagrotta in detail, those tickets are separate and arranged on the day.

What’s included

• Certified local guide for the full 2 hours.
• guidance in English, Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language.
• access to the walking route through Sasso Caveoso, the baroque quarter, and the streets used in film productions.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:30 and 16:00

Book up to2d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German 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.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcome

Operated by Askos Tours

Is this one for you?The tour starts at Piazzetta Pascoli in the Sassi itself, so if you are staying in central Matera or have a car, you can walk or drive there directly. If you are without a car or staying elsewhere in the city, you will need to arrange a taxi or shuttle to the meeting point, but once there the guide handles the rest of the route on foot.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

What exactly is the Sassi di Matera and why is it famous?

The Sassi di Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of two districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, built into the limestone rock face of the city. The dwellings, churches and streets are carved directly from the stone, and the district was named European Capital of Culture in 2019. It is famous as a film location: directors including Pasolini and Mel Gibson shot major productions in these streets because of the ancient, timeless appearance of the architecture.

How long does the tour take and what is the pace like?

The tour is 2 hours total. The pace is moderate, moving through the stone streets and stopping at key sites like the churches and the rock-carved casagrotta. You start at Piazzetta Pascoli and descend into the districts from there, so there is some uphill and downhill walking, but the guide adjusts the rhythm to the group.

Can I go inside the churches and the old houses during the tour?

The tour passes the churches and shows you the exterior and the streets around them. Entry tickets to the rupestrian churches with frescoes and to a furnished casagrotta are not included in the tour price and are arranged separately if you want to visit them.

Do I need to arrange my own way to the meeting point?

Yes, transportation to Piazzetta Pascoli is not included. The meeting point is in the Sassi district itself, so if you are staying in central Matera or have a car, it is walkable or a short drive. If you are staying outside the city center or without a car, you may want to arrange a taxi or check local shuttle options in advance.