Matera, a city where time seems to have stopped, which every year welcomes thousands of visitors who venture among its famous ” Sassi di Matera “ and alleys. Matera is in fact one of the oldest cities in the world, where history, culture, nature meet and merge, giving life to a place full of scenarios and glimpses of unparalleled charm.

He has received numerous awards:

• it was in fact the first site in southern Italy declared as a World Heritage Site by Unesco . Recognition obtained thanks to the numerous rock churches and natural areas that include different habitats. Within the latter live various fauna and flora species, peasant traditions, landscapes of incomparable beauty;
• until the nomination of European Capital of Culture for 2019 . Click here to find out more.

Here are the must-see attractions of the city:

• Sassi of Matera represent a unique landscape of their kind, a destination for fascinated travellers and inspired filmmakers. Sassi are divided into two districts: the Sasso Barisano and the Sasso Caveoso . The first is the largest district, whose houses today house mostly shops, restaurants and hotels. Sasso Caveoso, on the other hand, is considered the oldest district that best preserves the appearance of the rock city.
• Cathedral of Matera , which offers a splendid view of the Sasso Barisano.
• Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Materano. The Park includes 150 churches which with their architectural virtuosity and their pictorial decorations represent exceptional artistic works, among the most significant, of the historical and cultural heritage of the area.
• Crypt of the Original Sin is undoubtedly one of the most important examples of early medieval painting in the Mediterranean area.
• Casa-Grotta di Matera , a house that allows you to take a real dive into the past to explore and understand the peasant world and the living conditions in the Sassi in the past. Inside, in fact, we find the hearth with the kitchen, the bed with the mattress stuffed with corn leaves, the small table with a single plate in the centre from which everyone ate, the chamber pot used for bodily needs, and many other ancient objects.
• Il Palombaro Lungo , the large tank carved out under Piazza Vittorio . Until the first decades of the last century it was used for the collection of drinking water.

If you want to continue this journey into the past among the Sassi of Matera, click here and discover our GO HORSE trip planner.