Our excursion Departure by car / minibus in the direction of Matera, guided tour of the city with a walk in the historic centre with the baroque churches of S. Francesco d'Assisi, the church of S. Chiara, del Purgatorio, the splendid Romanesque-Baroque cathedral and the breathtaking view of the panorama of Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso with the splendid view of the Murgia. During the day you will have free time for lunch. Return to the hotel at approximately 7.30 pm. Duration: Full day Included: Private driver Full day escort On Site Guide Does not include: Tips and entrances. Restaurant reservation on request. Additional information: - The programme is subject to changes regarding the weather and the itinerary plan, in which case it may not be possible to make some stops or visits that are included in the programme. - Duration may vary due to traffic conditions and unforeseen circumstances. MATERA “Extraordinary and magical city” (Morgan Freeman). One of the oldest sites in the world, thanks to the continuity of human presence from prehistoric times to today, Matera and its Sassi have been a World Heritage Site since 1993. The first UNESCO site in Southern Italy. A city that was called the "shame of Italy" in the 1950s due to the unhealthy living conditions, today it completes its redemption as it has been elected the European Capital of Culture 2019. Carlo Levi also talks about the poignant beauty of Matera in his book "Christ stopped at Eboli" and also many directors ("The wolf" by Alberto Lattuada, "The Gospel according to Matthew" by Pier Paolo Pasolini, "The Passion of Christ" by Mel Gibson, etc.) Matera is one of the oldest cities in the world whose territory preserves evidence of human settlements starting from the Palaeolithic and without interruptions up to the present day. It represents an extraordinary page written by man through the millennia of this very long history. Matera is the city of the Sassi, the original urban core, which developed from natural caves carved into the rock and subsequently modelled into increasingly complex structures within two large natural amphitheatres which are the Sasso Caveoso and the Sasso Barisano. The Sassi di Matera are the 6th site in Italy in chronological order, the first in the south. On the occasion of this registration, for the first time UNESCO uses the concept of Cultural Landscape in its criteria and motivations, which will later be used to motivate the registration of other sites in the world. This very suggestive place is home to exhibitions of great national and international prestige. Rock Churches in the Sassi of Matera Particularly interesting are the Rock Churches that can be visited in the Sassi of Matera, places that testify to the evolutionary passage of man from the prehistoric stages to Christianity. The Rock Churches are in fact found in places of particular importance and in all likelihood they were already places of worship in the rock civilisations that preceded the Christian one. Those of greatest interest and that can be visited are: Santa Maria de Idris - San Giovanni in Monterrone The Church of Santa Maria De Idris is located within the rocky spur of Monterrone overlooking the Sasso Caveoso, near the Church of San Pietro Caveoso and the homonymous square. The location is stunning and offers a unique view of the city and the Gravina. Santa Lucia alle Malve The rock church of Santa Lucia alle Malve is located near the previous S. Maria de Idris in the Malve district. It is the first female monastic settlement of the Benedictine order, dating back to the eighth century, and the most important in the history of Matera. Inside there are some of the most beautiful and important wall paintings in the Matera area. San Pietro Barisano Located in the Sasso Barisano, originally called San Pietro de Veteribus, it is the largest rock church in the city of Matera. Archaeological investigations have made it possible to identify the first rock structure, dating back to the XII - XIII century, below the floor.