"A stoned city" Top 5 Page for this destination Matera by xaver

Matera Travel Guide: 63 reviews and 166 photos

My arrival

This is a city that definitly did not leave me indifferent, it’s hard to arrive, even tougher to be visited around. Many corners, tons of steps you go up and down, you pass from the bright to the dark in few moments while you walk around it.
Matera welcomes you in silent, nearly diffident, narrow streets, a real labyrinth made by stones and wind centuries ago. Dark crypts that if you dare to go deep may show you at the end, an afresco done centuries before your visit.

First impressions

Typical house

It’s not a city that asks to be visited, it doesn’t claim to be known, it doesn’t bright, it doesn’t want to show itself, Matera doesn’t welcome you with a smile or with a flower ring, you can notice it, you can see while working around, while asking for an info at the station, while entering a restaurant, it’s if you somehow have to deserve it before enjoying and you sure have this feeling while sweating walking up and down in the sassi, while climbing narrow steps just to reach an ancent church built in the rock.

History

S.PietroCaveoso

According to some people Matera was probably founded in 251 b.c.
Matera still bears the unique signs of history and prehistory.Dating back at the period of the punic wars Matera sheltered the fugitives of Metapontum and Heraclea.
It’s name may derive from the meet of Met and Era or from Mata which means heaps of rocks.
Later on until the last century this area was a rural area inhabitated by shepherds, this was a land of Transumanza which means the seasonal migration of shepherds and their sheeps.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Genuine, silent, clean, great food, great sceneries
Cons:tourists are arriving
In a nutshell:I hope it will resist

Last visit to Matera: May 2007
Intro Updated May 23, 2007
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Reviews (19)

rari turisti Local Customs (1)

This is what you find written in some street signals there show the way to visit some particular sites in the town.Rari... more travel advice

Train Transportation (1)

Matera is not reached by the national railway net, so if you are coming by train, you are supposed to arrive in Bari and... more travel advice

Torture museum Things to Do (11)

My favourite thing about Matera is that city definitly offers to you much more than you expect.It's in the deep south of... more travel advice

Vittorio Veneto square Things to Do (11)

This is the main square of the city, in the area only resident can use cars so it's easy to walk around and cross... more travel advice

Travelogues (1)

Written May 24, 2007

5 photos

Casa grotta

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Comments (16)

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Nemorino Nov 19, 2012 at 3:25 PM

This looks like a nice town with lots of history.
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Maria81 Apr 23, 2011 at 2:22 PM

Wow, sembra un posto davvero speciale! Non vedo l'ora di andarci :)
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MATIM May 19, 2010 at 12:39 PM

Just back from a visit to Matera, I plan to make a site about this place. AFter reading yours I think all that need to say about this place, is said in your page :)
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maple_air Apr 26, 2010 at 2:41 AM

Tnx for sharing your tips xaver. This is one place that I've always wanted to visit but hasn't had the chance yet. One day I will do so! ciao : )
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evaanna Oct 21, 2009 at 8:58 AM

Matera looks like a great secret place with 'rari turisti'. Loved the views, the winding narrow streets, the churches and so many nooks and crannies that only someone with insider knowledge can show you. Thanks for the wonderful virtual tour.
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calcaf38 Aug 16, 2009 at 10:45 AM

Very interesting page, about place I never heard of (just read about it in The Economist this morning!) Thank you for sharing.
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BruceDunning Aug 15, 2009 at 11:22 AM

You have taken wonderful pictures of this city-and I also hope it stays out of tourist way. We love to visit, as a cultural visitor and try to blend in. Ciao and tutti. Mio parlano un po, ma imprare ancora.
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hopang Jul 8, 2009 at 5:18 AM

Matera seems to be a great tourist destination with lots of interesting tourist attractions such as the churches, cathedral, museum, square, castle, Casa grotta, Sasso, Sassi and Gravina. We hope to visit Matera one day. ~ho & pang
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nickandchris Dec 10, 2007 at 7:41 AM

This is an amazing place. I would really like to visit here. Thanks.
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SLLiew Nov 9, 2007 at 9:53 AM

An incredible destination. Thanks for sharing. So much of Italy I have yet to see. Must go back. Ciao, SL :)