Matera, a Walking Tour Among the Stones
Overview of the tour in Matera
Matera is a UNESCO heritage city, and in 2019, it was proclaimed the European capital of culture! It is one of the oldest cities in the world, and life has never been interrupted from the city's foundation to the present day.
Matera is famous for its houses - caves dug into the tuff. Ancient men exploited the land to build homes. In this case, they dug the caves in the rocks of the ravine.
In the 8th century, in the iconoclast period in the Byzantine Empire, the monks fled with the icons to Puglia. And they found quiet places in the ravine areas, such as in Matera for example. They dug churches in the tuff, decorated them with Byzantine-style frescoes, and founded monasteries.
Over the centuries, the farmers continued to live in the caves until the 70s of the last century. After that, the inhabitants moved to new buildings, and the caves were abandoned for some time. The caves were taken care of in the last decades of the previous century, and a development period began for the historic city of Matera.
This tour has a fixed price. It is not a free tour.
This activity includes:
- onorario per guida turistica
On arrival
Next to the bronze sculpture in Piazzetta Pascoli
Things to note
The cost of tickets to museums (I recommend visiting) ranges from 2-3 euros per person. The Sunday tour starts at 10.00 or 13.00.
Free Cancellation
Free Cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Late cancellation or your non-arrival is not refundable.
Stone Beehives - Excursion to the Hidden Heart of the Murgia
Italian
2h 30min
9:30 AM
Literary Tour Through the Streets of Matera
Italian, English
+2
2 hours
8:00 AM
