Matera: Tour of the Sassi with iconic rock-cut churches

About This Experience

Passi nei Sassi runs this two-hour guided walk from the upper town into the Sasso Caveoso, with entry to two rock-cut churches, a museum and a furnished cave house. A guide with a regional license leads it, and the English option cost $39 per person on a bookable date in October 2026. It holds 4.7 from 1,568 GetYourGuide reviews. Tours also run in Italian, Spanish, French and German, and a small-group option is listed.

You check in at the operator's office at Via Don Minzoni 13, then walk a short way to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, where the tour proper begins. The route crosses the historic center to the Civita for a view over the Sasso Barisano, then descends into the Sasso Caveoso to see the vicinati (shared courtyards of cave homes) and the site the listing calls the barbarian cemetery.

The main interior stop is the Monterrone rock, which holds Santa Maria de Idris and San Giovanni in Monterrone, two rock churches joined in the early 1800s. You then visit the Museum of Peasant Civilization and a cave house of the vicinato furnished with original objects, which shows how families lived until the 1950s, when residents were moved out of the Sassi. The tour runs in light rain, but strollers and electric wheelchairs are not allowed.

This walk suits travelers who want the Idris churches and a furnished cave house in one ticket. Several reviewers struggled with their guide's English or accent, and one noted the guide used no audio equipment, so stay close at each stop. A couple of reviewers in summer heat said the walk ran well past two hours. Morning departures from June to September are easier on the stone lanes.

Highlights

• Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the historic center
• View over the Sasso Barisano from the Civita
• The vicinati and the barbarian cemetery in the Sasso Caveoso
• Frescoes in the Monterrone rock churches
• Tours in English, Italian, Spanish, French or German
• Small-group option available

What's Included

• ✓ Authorized guide with a regional license
• ✓ Entry to the rock church of Santa Maria de Idris
• ✓ Entry to the rock church of San Giovanni in Monterrone
• ✓ Entry to the Museum of Peasant Civilization
• ✓ Visit to a furnished cave house of the vicinato (Casa Grotta Sassi di Matera on the itinerary)

Not Included

• Food and drinks
• Tips

What to Bring

• Comfortable shoes with good grip
• Water and a hat from June to September
• Light rain gear (the tour runs in light rain)

Good to Know & Caveats

• The route uses stairs and uneven stone throughout the Sasso Caveoso.
• Two starting options exist; the description names the office at Via Don Minzoni 13.
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
• Baby strollers, carriages and electric wheelchairs are not allowed.

Meeting Point

The Passi nei Sassi office at Via Don Minzoni 13, a short walk from Piazza Vittorio Veneto in the upper town; your voucher confirms the time.