Complete Sassi of Matera Small Group Walking Tour with Tasting
Description
This 3-hour walking tour is perfect for travelers looking to experience the Sassi of Matera in a deeper and more complete way, beyond the usual panoramic routes. The itinerary explores both historic districts, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, and includes visits to two of the city’s most important rock churches. Led by a local guide, you’ll learn how Matera evolved from a “built” city into one carved directly into stone, as you pass through historic squares, scenic viewpoints, and rock-hewn spaces that reveal centuries of everyday life and spiritual tradition. The highlight of the tour is the visit to the rock churches, from Sant’Antonio Abate to the striking Madonna de Idris. Here, you’ll admire frescoes dating from the 12th to the 17th century and explore the ancient crypt of San Giovanni in Monterrone. The experience ends with a tasting of traditional Lucanian specialties. The tour runs in small groups, allowing for a more engaging pace and better interaction.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The route begins in the Baroque part of Matera, with an external visit to the Church of Purgatory, a symbolic site that reflects the city’s deep connection between faith, memory, and rebirth.
This spot marks the transition from monumental Matera to its rock-hewn heart, introducing the story of the city’s urban evolution.
From above, the Sassi unfold below, offering a clear overview that helps you understand the layout of the landscape.
In Sasso Barisano, a frescoed rock church brings to life the spiritual world of the Middle Ages, carved directly into the stone.
An immersive look into daily life in the Sassi, with rooms furnished as they were before the 1950s and stories of family life and adaptation.
This panoramic stretch connects city and nature, opening onto views of the Gravina canyon and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches.
One of the most iconic views of the Sassi, perfect for photos and a short pause.
The highlight of the tour is a rock church seemingly suspended above Sasso Caveoso, preserving frescoes from the 12th to the 17th century and the crypt of San Giovanni in Monterrone.
The tour ends with a tasting of local Lucanian specialties, including taralli, Matera bread, and vegetable spreads.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(4)
Actually, we had booked the English-speaking version with tasting. However, we were assigned to a German group. There was quite a bit of chaos at the Martulli viaggi agency; they were not very friendly. Tasting was not included in this tour.
Dear Guests, We are sorry to read your review, especially because the situation unfolded quite differently from what has been described. You originally booked the English-language tour. Upon arrival, you requested to join the German-language tour instead, which was a different service with different conditions and pricing. When we informed you that a price difference applied to this change, a discussion arose regarding the modification of the booking. In order to accommodate your request and allow you to enjoy the tour in your native language, we made an exception and approved the change without charging any additional fee. Therefore, any delay or confusion at the agency was not caused by organizational issues on our side, but rather by the need to manage a last-minute change to the original booking. Regarding the tasting, the German tour you requested instead of the originally booked English tour had different inclusions and did not include a tasting experience. For this reason, we are surprised to read comments about our lack of helpfulness, considering that we accommodated your request and waived the additional charge that would normally have applied. Kind regards, Martulli Viaggi Team
The organising company Martulli Viaggi are a bunch of rude money grabbing liars. They kept us waiting 30 minutes saying they had rescheduled it, wouldn't let us use their toilet then put us in a group of 30 people (who had paid less than we had). Maria, the guide was knowledgeable but difficult to hear at times. The tour did not include all the places and finished 30 minutes early with the most rubbish "tasting" of stale bread in a shop. Letter the organiser told us a different story: that our original guide was sick so we'd been added to a different tour! Aviator have kindly refunded us the cost of this awful tour.
Great experience, our guide was very empathetic, professional, and knowledgeable. Congratulations!!!
Covered a lot of ground and subjects. Wear good walking shoes as there’s a lot of steps. Great local knowledgeable guide.
