Things to Do in Matera: the Sassi, Palombaro Lungo, MUSMA and the Museo Ridola

Matera is built into the rock. In the Sassi, two old districts face each other across a gorge, and the houses, churches and monasteries are carved into natural caves of the Murgia. Start by walking Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso. Then go under Piazza Vittorio Veneto to the Palombaro Lungo cistern, and visit MUSMA, a museum set inside a palace in the Sasso Caveoso.

At a glance

• Top sights to see first: the Sassi (Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso), Palombaro Lungo, MUSMA, Museo Ridola
• Nearest Trenitalia stations: Bari and Ferrandina
• From Bari Palese airport: about 30 minutes by car
• By car: A3 motorway, exit for Potenza, then the SS 407 Basentana towards Metaponto
• Museo Ridola ticket: € 5,00

What are the best things to do in Matera?

The Sassi: Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso

UNESCO inscribed them in 1993, together with the Park of the Rupestrian Churches, on a property of 1,016 hectares. People first lived here in the Palaeolithic. The historic centre also includes the 15th century Casalnuovo district and the 17th-18th century Piano.

The Sassi and the Murgia Materana area hold over 100 churches, so you can walk for hours and keep finding one. On the Civita, the ridge between the two Sassi, a Romanesque cathedral went up in the 13th century. Plan to cross both districts on foot, and wear shoes with a good grip for the rock.

Palombaro Lungo

The Palombaro Lungo is a cistern under Piazza Vittorio Veneto. It’s 59 feet (18 meters) high and 164 feet (50 meters) wide, and it holds 5 million liters. It’s the largest underground cistern in Europe.

Matera Welcome lists the Palombaro Lungo among its places, next to MuDeSca, the Cathedral and Casa Noha. The square above is a convenient meeting point, so combine the visit with a walk through the nearby lanes.

MUSMA

MUSMA is housed in Palazzo Pomarici in the Sasso Caveoso. It’s the only cave museum in the world, and the main Italian museum entirely dedicated to sculpture. Rock walls and modern sculpture share the same rooms.

Since it sits in the Sasso Caveoso, pair it with a walk through that district. Hours and prices were not available to us, so check them before you go.

Museo Nazionale Domenico Ridola

The museum was established on February 9, 1911, and stands at Via Ridola, 24. It’s the place to put the Sassi in context, since the area’s human story runs back to the Palaeolithic.

A ticket costs € 5,00.

Palazzo Lanfranchi

If you’re in Matera on an event date, look at the terrace schedule before you plan the evening.

Parco della Storia dell’Uomo

The park is in Rione Malve, in the Sasso Caveoso, and it recounts 8,000 years of human presence in the territory. It’s organized into four thematic parks, including the Parco della Civiltà Contadina and the Parco della Preistoria.

Borgo La Martella

Borgo La Martella was created in the 1950s from an idea of Adriano Olivetti. On May 17, 1953, the first 50 families received the keys.

Skip it if your time is only a day or two and the Sassi are the priority. It’s a good add-on for a longer stay.

When is the best time to visit Matera for sightseeing?

January and February highs reach 50°F (10°C) with eight rainy days a month, so bring a waterproof layer. March and April bring 56°F (13°C) to 63°F (17°C) and fewer rainy days. May reaches 72°F (22°C), which suits long walks through the Sassi. By June the highs hit 82°F (28°C), and July reaches 87°F (30°C) with the fewest rainy days, so walk the open stairs early in the day.

Beaches and outdoor things to do in Matera

Basilicata, the region, has Blue Flag coasts at Maratea and on the Ionian Sea, and the regional list of sports includes sailing, diving, rafting, cycling, skiing and paragliding.

For the outdoors close to town, the classic route crosses the gorge on a Tibetan bridge and climbs to the Murgia Timone belvedere. The Parco della Murgia covers 8,000 hectares of plateau with rock churches and Neolithic villages. Matera Welcome offers tours called ‘A Walk in the Park’ and ‘The Sentiero Italia CAI’, and from Casa Noha the FAI runs guided itineraries on the Sassi, the water system, the Murgia Park, cinema and Olivettian Matera.

Take water and sturdy shoes for the plateau, and choose a cooler hour in summer.

Day trips from Matera

The archaeological sites of Murgia Timone, Timmari and Murgecchia can be visited. The Parco della Murgia, with its rock churches and Neolithic villages, rounds out a day outside the town.

Without a car, the nearest Trenitalia stations are Bari and Ferrandina. Bari Palese airport is about 30 minutes away by car, and the route to Matera follows the A3 motorway, the exit for Potenza and the SS 407 Basentana towards Metaponto.

Things to do in Matera at night

Materadio runs from October 30 to November 1, 2026. Sapori dalla Terra, with the prized white truffle of Basilicata, takes place in Matera from November 20 to 29, 2026.

Things to do in Matera with kids

MUSMA is a museum in caves, which gives the visit a sense of adventure.

Choose the cooler hours of the day, and bring water.