Embark on a day out in Sassi and explore the ancient neighbourhoods with a live guide. See a series of grottoes carved out of limestone and marvel at the Sasso Barisano and the Sasso Caveoso. Your tour will begin at the meeting point in Via Alessandro Volta. From here, your expert guide will lead you to the Church of San Francesco, situated in the historic centre of the city. Next, you’ll continue along a panoramic road comprised of narrow streets and winding alleys. After arriving at the Rupestre Church of Sant'Antonio Abate, you’ll find a pleasant surprise waiting inside: a classic example of the traditional culture of this remarkable city. Afterwards, you’ll move on to visit a typical Matera cave-house before continuing along Via Madonna delle Virtù and Porta Pistoia "Pert P’stèl" to conclude your cultural adventure.

Discover the Sassi historical neighbourhoods with a local, certified guide by joining a small group (max 16). Along this pleasant walk, which twists and turns in Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano’s alleys and panoramic views, there will be several stops to dig into the depths of Matera’s historical, architectural and cultural background. Over the centuries, the Sassi urban area has undergone many transformation and stratification processes, so much so that its architecture is indeed fascinating. Along the tour there are several stops to provide an in-depth analysis of the historical and social aspects which determined, over time, the changing of socio-economic conditions of the territory. The gradual and inexorable decay of the Sassi area eventually made it become a “ghost town”; however, nowadays we can finally appreciate and enjoy the rebirth the Sassi are currently witnessing. It will be possible to admire the outsides of the Cathedral and visit one of the most representative rock-hewn churches, both for the perfectly recognizable architectural structure, both for the great state of preservation of the medieval mural paintings.

Historic Center and Sassi TourIt consists of a walking tour from the main square of the historic centre, Piazza Vittorio Veneto (starting point, arch-shaped fountain reference), with a panoramic view of the Sasso Barisano.Continue through the historic center until you reach Piazza Duomo where it will be possible to view the Cathedral from the outside and then enter the Sasso Caveoso. From here there will be a visit to the furnished house of peasant civilization, a frescoed rock church, a visit to the barbaric cemetery and the various neighborhoods.Everything will be explained by an authorized guide, which will allow you to understand the history of the city.The tour will end in Piazza Giovanni Pascoli in the historic center, close to the Sasso Caveoso.

Meet your guide at Piazza Vittorio Veneto in Matera. From here, your expert guide will introduce you to the districts of Sassi. From the square, head to the heart of the historical center, where you will find the wonderful Apulian-Romanesque Church of San Giovanni Battista. Continue with a visit to Casa Cava, a hypogeum used in ancient times as a quarry, today turned into a convention center, thanks to outstanding restoration work. Stop at Sasso Barisano, to visit the rock church of Sant'Antonio Abate where you’ll find a pleasant surprise waiting inside, a classic example of the traditional culture of this remarkable city.  Move on to Sasso Caveoso to visit a typical Matera cave-house before continuing along Via Madonna delle Virtù and Porta Pistoia. Make a short stop at Piazza San Pietro Caveoso and stroll down one of the main streets of Sassi, Via Bruno Buozzi, to reach the second rock church of Madonna delle Grazie. Continue to the Baroque Church of Purgatorio. Next stop will be Piazza San Francesco d’ Assisi where you will visit the church dedicated to the Saint and from there you will move to Piazza del Sedile, Parliament's headquarters during the domination of the Kingdom of Naples. Finish your tour with a visit to the magnificent Apulian-Romanesque Cathedral, overlooking the highest part of the city.

Visitare i Sassi di Matera è un'esperienza che lascia il segno in ciascun viaggiatore. Farlo con una guida locale, esperta ed autorizzata, renderà la tua esperienza ancora più ricca. Durante la visita guidata passeggerai per gli incantevoli vicoli dei rioni Sassi, ammirando angoli e scorzi tra i più affascinanti. Lo stupore con cui ammirerai questo meraviglioso paesaggio, sarà arricchito e reso ancora più emozionante dalle spiegazioni e dai racconti della nostra guida locale altamente preparata. Non solo informazioni storiche ma anche, e soprattutto, racconti autentici e personali di chi i Sassi li ha vissuti realmente. Durante la visita guidata potrai renderti conto personalmente di come si svolgeva la vista domestica delle famiglie contadine che abitavano i rioni Sassi, visitando anche una casa grotta tipicamente arredata ed una Chiesa rupestre affrescata.

A priceless treasure of the verdant Basilicata region, Matera is the area's stone masterpiece and stands in all its beauty on high ground. Declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1993 as a testament to its uniqueness, it preserves structures that are all one-of-a-kind, the famous "Sassi." These are distributed in two areas called "Caveoso" and "Barisano" that offer incredible views of the area but are in themselves of great uniqueness and interest given their thousand-year history and architecture. During this visit you will have the chance to discover a Cave House dug into the rock and on 3 different levels. Passing through the Central Square that offers a beautiful view of the Sassi, you will have a crescendo of wonders and emotions going up to the Civita and the Cathedral that dominates the city from above. The walking tour ends in the heart of the Sasso Caveoso, which with its picturesque caves has many times provided spaces for various film productions such as Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ," or 007's No Time to Die in which James Bond is played by Daniel Craig. An enjoyable guided walking tour conducted at the right cadence to enjoy the best of Matera with a 100% local guide.

The Unesco Puglia Tour takes you to visit enchanting and fascinating places. During the Unesco Tour an expert guide will accompany you to: Matera, city of the Sassi, eternal city, the Jerusalem of the West, European Capital of Culture 2019. Alberobello, the maximum expression of our region in the world, fairytale charm that enchants visitors, a must for those who decide to spend their holidays in Apulia. These are the two main Unesco Sites Apulia and most visited and loved by the Italian and foreign people, they are now very popular destinations, which can not miss in your tour. Departure time: 9:00 am Departure point: Piazza Caduti di Via Fani 26, Polignano a Mare Price: €150.00 per person (Pugliamare reserves the right to cancel the reservation if the minimum number of 4 participants is not reached) Transfer Service: you can request a round trip service from your hotel or from another city. 09:00 Meeting at our office in Polignano a Mare; 09:30 Departure for Alberobello; 10:00 Arrival and guided tour of Alberobello, walk through Aia Piccola, Rione Monti and the typical trulli; 12:30 Lunch and free time; 14:00 Departure for Matera; 14:45 Arrival in Matera and guided tour; 17:30 End of the tour and return to Polignano.

Discover the story of a town which was carved into rocks and was inhabited until the 20th century. You will have the opportunity to visit a cave-house recently opened to the public, and will also have access to ancient rupestrian churches. Matera is a unique place, and makes for a great experience to experience. You will meet the local and expert tourist guide in the city center where the tour will start to discover this UNESCO site. From there, you will walk through the 2 main districts dug into the rocks, an area where you will discover cave-houses and rupestrian churches. During this tour, you can admire the panoramic view over the Murgia Materana Park from the balconies whilst you discover the Matera origins, one of the oldest European cities. Afterwards, you will reach one of the highest points of the Sassi where you will visit the cathedral.

With a sightseeing bus you will reach the panoramic viewpoint par excellence, called Murgia Timone, from which you will enjoy a breathtaking view of Sassi districts. A tour leader who will show you the sights along the way. After a short tour around the city, we will stop in Belvedere of Murgia Timone for 30 minutes, where you will walk on ancient paths to discover caves inhabited since the Stone Age and get close to one of the 150 rock churches in the area to see wonderful frescoes. Moreover, you will be enraptured by the scents and smells of plants that grow on the park such as thyme, savory and many others. If you are lucky you will also see flying over the area some specimens of Falco Grillaio, a typical species of the Murgia area. Your way back to our venue will be enriched by a tour leader with anecdotes and traditions of the city of Sassi.

You will meet a local tour guide in the main square, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, where you'll begin your walking tour admiring the landscape of the historic center from unique viewpoints. Then the tour will lead you through the historic center, covering topics of Matera history on the way. Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been chosen as the 2019 European Capital of Culture, an important acknowledgment for its history and beauty which has been carved in stone.  Walking among the "Sassi" (the ancient neighborhoods of Sasso Barisano e Sasso Caveoso), you will discover the cave houses and churches carved in the rock, as well as the newly restored Cathedral. From the Cathedral which is built on a high point of the hill, you will enjoy enchanting views over the historic center and of Murgia Materana Park, an area characterized by hills and Mediterranean vegetation.  Over the course of 2 hours, you will be completely immersed in a magical unique land, seeing all of the major sights of Matera.