马泰拉石屋

从电影受难记开始认识这座古老城市，亲自造访后更是令人惊艳，这座古城是这趟南义之旅中最美的风景，让我回味无穷。

一位意大利朋友推荐我们来这个古城，没想到这么美！整个古城的房子都是从石头挖出来的，让我想起土耳其的卡帕多西亚。走在街头上看两边的房子跟其他意大利古城相似，只是走进去才会看到房屋都是从山挖出来的，感觉也很神秘。能想象到几千年前的人也曾在这里住过。虽然通过到处的B&B，酒店和餐厅能看到老城的旅游业在逐渐的发展，但比起意大利中部和北部，这里的游客算稀少，下午在广场上看到的是真实的意大利人生活，而不是游客的场景。 同时也能感觉出来当地的人也更友好，对你会有一种真实的友好和好奇感。随着南方的旅游业越来越火，不知这种气氛还能保留多久？夜里在街道上一边看老城夜景一边走非常有感觉。

There is info point and they offered a guide in italian for 15 € a person. We've got a map and the city is small, so we decided to visit it on our own. We walked through almost every street and saw some very beautiful sights. Maybe we missed something without a guide, but I don't mind. It was a very nice day in Matera and nothing to say against it. Go there and see it!

Even though it rained heavily, it was still fascinating guided along the narrow lanes, up & down down steps that flowed like rivers. A good grotto museum that showed how the people lived underground with their farm animals. signed> Esme Lucas Havens

This place will blow your mind! You're in an ancient world and a modern world at the same time. Up until the mid 1950's people lived in these caves, which are now hotel rooms. They had no knowledge of the modern world.Also, Mel Gibson filmed much of Passion of the Christ in this small town. Fascinating place to visit! There is also a new Matera just outside of the ancient town that has all the modern stuff you'd expect. Lots of history and just an amazing place to see - you'll think you're in Old Jerusalem.

tiny little churches and steps leading to homes, empty caves and dead ends. the Sassi oozes history; the stones whisper with the voices of the people who have been there. its gorgeous, and a must visit.

We stayed one night in Matera (on the way to Lecce and Alberbello ) and wandered through old town at about 4 pm to see the churches and were pursued at every turn by men promoting Sassi tours from the Tourist Information Center. We finally succumbed for 20 Euro a person (40 Euro a person if you wanted an English speaking guide. My husband translated for me as I'm a beginner in Italian and it worked just fine). The tour started at 11 am, a little later than we wanted to start as it was a two hour tour and left little time to explore the Sassi on our own. ( It was probably better we didn't explore on our own as we would have missed things and gotten lost in the warren of unmarked streets). We started in Piazza Vittorio and started with the overlook into the Sasso Barisano. The guide took us down to the cistern ( It was not open but amazing picture of vaulted ceilings and terra cotta walls) and let us wander into and underground church with frescoes. We moved on to Sasso Caveoso and visited a winery cut out of the rock and then into a home and barn and cellar that was all attached and about 90+ feet into the mountain. It was amazing to contemplate living in a functioning cave home that monks and peasants lived in since 500 years before Christ. The Sasso home was furnished with beds and kitchenware, hay and pitchforks and had an audio video so you can invision the inhabitants daily lives. It was fascinating. We went to an overlook and saw the Gravina River far below and shallow graves placed flat into the Rock. We ended at the Rupestrian church that looked just like a lava flow with a door. They were filming Ben Hur and people were walking in costumes conducive to Biblical times and it took you back in time. The tour ends at a place to buy gifts like Coocoo whistles used at weddings to pronounce the depth of their love and Pupa dolls that were cheese molds once upon a time, and with a tasting table to buy homemade pesto and onion sauces. We are hardened tourists and usually shy away from Souvenirs but we bought the delicious jarred pesto. The tour of the Sassi truly made you understand the unusual way of life and appreciate their ingenuity.Cons of the tour : because it starts late, the churches close at noon so you cannot enter. The depth the tour guide went into was a bit too deep for our trialling teens taste and made you stand around for long periods instead of walking and exploring more. So I recommend the tour but go earlier in the morning to view the churches on your own and wear something warm if you go in the winter like we did,Recommendations: we stayed in a real Sasso in the Belvedere Hotel. The bathroom had the trough where the animals would have eaten and you can see where dwellers actually lived and slept. It is modern and comfortable and included breakfast. We ate lunch at authentic Soul Kitchen,( The name is not Italian but it was derived from the two chefs, Italian brothers Mimo and Pietro's, favorite movie as they believe good good heals the soul. ) We had potatoe ravioli that melted in your mouth with beef fillets and roasted potatoe and a pistachio semi-fredo that was pure heaven. Best dessert I've had in my whole life and I love gelato and chocolate desserts. Perfect ending to a miraculous city.

The Sassi are unique to Matera. We hired a guide which cost 60 euro for 3 hours.The visit to a family cave was informative. The rock churches were so interesting. If you want to visit somewhere totally different this is the place to visit. To see how people lived in this town until the late 1950`s was very revealling

What more can I say? The Sassi di Matera belong to the most amazing places I have ever seen. I would recommend to visit during the day and also wait for the blue hour, when the lights are switched on. Simply breathtaking.

An amazing place- a must see! We did a walking tour of the old town with our Globus Tour, and were taken right inside a Sassi house! It was set up in a traditional way of a family from the past, complete with animals (replicas) and the tools and homewares they used. Absolutely fascinating. Friendly people, little souvenir stalls with really cheap and quaint wares. Spectacular views! Hot in July!!!

Its hard to believe that about 50 years ago, residents of Matera and surrounds lived in dwellings carved out of tufa rock. The homes were built on a steep slope of a ravine, like rough- hewn caves with corridors on top of each other making me think of how similar to today's apartment houses they are. We found the curves of the pathways that are cut into the rock, so treacherous that a fall would surely lead one to easily fall into one of Dante's circles of hell. Although fascinating from the outside, the Sassi did not make for modern living conditions when you consider so many people cramped together with their animals. Its a pleasant walk along the Via della Virtu which overlooks the ravine and connects the two enclaves where most of the Sassi are found. What once were hovels are now homes and studios with pleasant shops including churches. Another site worth visiting is the 16th century Tramontano Castle, the 13th century Duomo, and the churches of San Domenico and San Giovann. We stayed at the Hotel Sassi to immerse ourselves in an authentic Sassi experience. Original layout is preserved and with candkes as lighting its tre romantic and rustic. Everyone seems to be taking back home a piece of Matera, a typical souvenir being the terra-cotta whistle in the shape of a cockerel called a cuccu. For my money, the best experience was the monastic Byzantine art , found at the stunning Santa Maria della Scala, gleaming white church carved into caverned hillside. Its an incredible 4 km long and full of shrines and dazzling frescoed walls.

With a few days off from work in Naples, I decided a two night mid-week hiatus in Matera for some sightseeing and relaxation was in order. This place far exceeded even my wildest expectations.There is plenty to do and see for two or three days. I decided to do a self tour which consisted of walking through the maze of alleyways and stairs through the Sassi...up, down, dead ends...it was exciting and absolutely beautiful.

It is very different and very special. This was my second trip, I was here in 2007. The people were friendly, the food was great and it was accessible even without a car.

The history of the sassi in Matera urges you to visit this land of cave homes. Just over the border from Puglia into Basilicata lie the ancient cave dwellings of the sassi, homes carved into the rock face where families lived for thousands of years until the 1950's. Now being restored it is one of the most fascinating sites you will see, visiting the cave church is also a must with fresco's many thousands of years old and in amazing condition.

Never seen anything like Matera. The town is so neat and so interesting. We took our young daughter in a backpack instead of using a stroller which was definitely worth it.