Matera is a city to be explored slowly. Not just to visit. In two days, you can experience the best of the city without rushing, alternating iconic places, quiet glimpses, and small moments that are hard to forget.
Day 1 – The Sassi and the most cinematic side of Matera
Morning is the best time to slowly venture out, coffee in hand, and explore a still-suspended Matera.
The natural route passes through Piazza Duomo, the Sasso Caveoso, the Sasso Barisano, the rock churches and the panoramic views hidden among the alleys. The advice is simple: walk slowly and let the city guide you. For once, you can leave the map in your pocket.
For lunch, an almost obligatory stop is Panificio De Palo. Focaccia, Matera PGI bread, and freshly baked local products. For something more substantial, La Lopa and Trattoria del Caveoso are two reliable addresses for traditional cuisine with local flavors.
In the afternoon, Matera changes light and shows its more cinematic side. It is no coincidence that Pasolini, Mel Gibson and even James Bond, in the film No Time To Die (2021), chose these alleys to tell timeless stories.
It’s worth stopping at Casa Noha, one of the most interesting ways to truly understand the city’s history before returning to lose yourself in the alleys of the Caveoso.
Climbing towards Santa Maria de Idris, the view of the Sassi becomes even more evocative: stone, silence, and light blend together in one of the most iconic panoramas of Matera.
The sunset from the Murgia Materana is one of those moments that are difficult to describe. Reaching the Madonna delle Vergini area, the view of the Sassi illuminated by the golden light is, simply, breathtaking.
For those who prefer to stay in the heart of the city, the Zipa Café is one of the best places to enjoy an aperitif with a view and watch Matera slow down as evening falls.
Day 2 – The alleys, the flavors, the silence
We start with croissants from Pasticceria Schiuma, a small local institution that’s worth the detour. Then the morning is perfect for the Crypt of Original Sin, one of the most surprising places in the Matera area: a rock-hewn church with 8th-century frescoes that are still extraordinarily vivid. A silent, almost unreal place. It’s best to book in advance: the Crypt is located just outside Matera and can be reached by car or shuttle service.
The rest of the day is filled with activities of your own choosing: artisan workshops, ceramics studios, hidden cafes, and alleys where tourists rarely venture. This is the part of Matera that remains.
Staying near the historic center makes all the difference: everything is within walking distance, saving you precious time. Comfortable shoes are not optional: Matera is made of stairs and climbs. For those arriving by car, the most convenient parking lots are Autoservizi Damasco and Nicoletti.
