The Sassi di Matera are two districts of the Italian city of Matera, well-known for their ancient cave dwellings inhabited since over 7,000 (!) years. Called once the ‘Shame of Italy it is, after significant investment, now a popular tourist destination. It was in 2019 the European Capital of Culture and the location of Mel Gibson's "Passion of Christ" and the latest Bond film.

One of the best views in and around Matera. The viewpoint is located in the Murgia Materana Park (Park of Rock churches) across a deep gorge from the Sassi de Matera. With its spectacular panoramic view of Matera a visit is highly recommended. It is best enjoyed at sunrise or sunset when the light casts enchanting colors over the landscape.

San Pietro Barisano stands as the city's largest rock church and is worth a visit. Dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, the church underwent significant transformations, notably in the 15th and 16th centuries with the addition of side chapels adorned with frescoes of saints. In the 18th century the church was reshaped into a three-nave structure complete with a new façade and underground rooms for the unique "draining" of corpses, a funeral practice for priests. This funeral practice consisted of placing the corpses dressed in sacred vestments in niches modeled in the tuff.

The cathedral was built in Apulian Romanesque style in the 13th century on the ridge that forms the highest point of the city of Matera and divides the two Sassi. It is built on the area of ​​the ancient Benedictine monastery of Sant'Eustachio, one of the two patron saints of the city. On the outside, note the sixteen-ray rose window and the 52 meter high bell tower; Inside, noteworthy are a Byzantine fresco of the Madonna della Bruna, a sixteenth-century nativity scene by the sculptor Altobello Persio and a fresco depicting the Final Judgement.

The Church of San Pietro Caveoso, a notable sight in Matera, dates back to the 12th century, embodying a significant part of the city's rupestrian heritage. Its facade, adorned with three portals topped by niches housing statues of the Madonna della Misericordia, Saint Paul, and Saint Peter, reflects a baroque influence. The church's interior reveals 15th- and 16th-century frescoes, a central nave concealed by a wooden false ceiling, and an 18th-century altar with a wooden polyptych from 1540. Despite its plundering during the 1960s and '70s when Matera faced abandonment, the church stands as a testament to the city's resilience. Recently, it has undergone consolidation to preserve its structure and historical significance.

The Casa Grotto di Vico Solitario is a captivating example of Matera's unique Sassi houses. With an entry fee of approximately 5 Euros, this small museum offers an immersive journey into the traditional life in Matera. It is an original cave dwelling furnished with traditional household items. Take half an hour to explore the 4 caves. There are written descriptions and an online audioguide available in various languages, which explain the context. The 1st cave contains the original cave dwelling house, the 2nd has a short movie about Matera's history, the 3rd is an old Church and the 4th one explains the water collection system.

Casa Noha in Matera offers a captivating 25-minute film experience across three different rooms in a 16th-century family home, now donated to the Fondo Ambiente Italiano. This multimedia exhibit delves deeply into the complex and often difficult social history of Matera and its sassi, providing visitors with translated audio. Positioned close to the Duomo, it's an ideal first stop for gaining insight into Matera's unique history and the lives of its residents before exploring the rest of the town. Highly recommended by visitors, it's described as short but essential for truly understanding Matera.

The Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista is a Roman Catholic church dating to the 13th and 18th centuries, located in Matera in the Italian region of Basilicata, and dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Like the Duomo, the church is an important example of architecture.

The views from the terrace in front of the Church of Santa Maria de Idris are worth the walk up.

The Piazza Vittoria Veneto is the main starting point to explore the Sassi districts. It contains the tourist office, the Palombaro Lungo, a remarkable 15-meter-deep cistern, the viewpoint Belvedere Guerricchio, wonderful Palazzo's and churches.

Castello Tramontano is a 16th-century fortification in Matera that was built to control the local population. Castello Tramontano is situated on Lapellio Hill, above the historical city of Matera with in the Basilicata Administrative Region. The city has been used many times as a set to represent the Holy Land in film including Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

The Church of Santa Maria de Idris in Matera impresses with its exterior carved into the rock and offers a unique view over the city. The church dates back to the 15th century and is part of a rock complex that also includes the oldest crypt, dedicated to San Giovanni in Monterrone. The entry fee is 4 Euros, though a visit is more recommended with the Combo Church Pass. Inside, there are two rooms with partially preserved medieval frescoes, where photography is not allowed.

The Palazzo dell'Annunziata is a historical building in Matera, Italy. The Palazzo was constructed in 1735 by architect Vito Valentino for the Rome Pontifical Commission. This can be inferred by the Convention between the Dominican nuns and the same Valentino, who, because of the urgency, makes an effort to finish the work in five years [1]. In 1734 the project is ready, in 1735 the works already proceed quickly, but soon the first difficulties are known: the building area on which the foundations rest is too deep: indeed it reaches about. The front is built on the sixteenth-century tower, belonging to the fortifications of Count Tramontano. A strong quarrel between the administrator of the Dominican nuns and the architect Valentino starts so that in 1739 the works are suspended and Valentino is dismissed. The chronicles do not say anything about the causes of this dismissal. The hypothesis may be the delay of the work or the acquisition of other tasks by Valentino, who thus violates the agreements that forbid him to take on other commitments. Then the new architect, Mauro Manieri, called directly from Lecce with Simone brothers, takes over the task of completing the work: we are already in 1742. Looking carefully at the walls and the vaults of the building we can infer the change of hands between the architects and identify that, with a good approximation, the works are suspended by Valentino in 1739, for example the difference can be seen in the texture of the walls and vaults. The original project the monastic complex by Valentino substantially reflects the current structure with the Church at the center and the spatial organization of the Monastery around it.

The church of the Madonna delle Tre Porte is so called because it is believed to have had three entrances carved into the rock. The sanctuary is a precious monument of underground art and history. Today this rock church reveals two naves adorned with ancient graffiti crosses and notable frescoes spanning from the 12th to the 17th century. Highlights include the Annunciation and a vividly painted Madonna of the Pomegranate, symbolizing life. The main apse is frescoed with a Deesis of Christ, with the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist kneeling at the sides. In the left nave, above the ambo, the Annunciation and a Madonna enthroned with Child are visible. The last fresco depicts the scene of the Crucifixion.

The Museo nazionale d'arte medievale e moderna della Basilicata is an art museum located inside the building Palazzo Lanfranchi, which is located in Piazzetta Pascoli, in the Historic Centre of Matera Basilicata, Italy. In front of the entrance, a sculpture by artist Kengiro Azuma titled La Goccia is exhibited. In the past, the building that now hosts the museum - Palazzo Lanfranchi - used to be a seminary and, starting from 1864, it became the seat of the high school Liceo ginnasio Emanuele Duni, which now is located uptown.