Visiting Matera means living authentic experiences that will allow us to discover a pure and archaic dimension, where ancient traditions combine with landscapes of extraordinary uniqueness. Here, rupestrian churches and dwellings carved into the rock alternate with terraces and open spaces, where you can enjoy the view of the Sassi, which pure and silent are tinged now with white light, now with golden light depending on the time of day or the current season. Listing all the things to do and places to visit in Matera would be a very difficult undertaking, rich as it is in historical and artistic treasures waiting to be discovered. However, let us try to identify some of the attractions that absolutely must not be missed. Let's start with the historical centre: contrary to what the name suggests, this is the new part of the city. Here there are Renaissance and Baroque buildings and panoramic views of the Sassi; the Sasso Caveoso is worth a visit: the oldest quarter that best preserves the city's rupestrian dimension, rich in hypogea, peasant houses and churches, including the church of the Madonna de Idris with the Crypt of San Giovanni in Monterrone and the church of Santa Lucia. Sasso Barisano is also worth a visit: here, too, you will find hypogea, churches (including the church of San Pietro Barisano) and ancient dwellings set in limestone. Famous is the Civita district and the cathedral dedicated to the SS Madonna della Bruna and Sant'Eustachio, a limestone building characterised by a large rose window on the façade and the beautiful Lion's Gate; Finally, those who wish to explore a lesser-known side of the city can access the underground Matera, an area dug underground made up of caves, tunnels and cisterns: the Materasum and the Palombaro Lungo are the two most famous sites.

The typical dishes of Matera are dishes of peasant origin, made with simple and genuine ingredients, inseparably linked to the territory and local traditions. King of the table and symbolic food of Matera is bread, which you can taste at the many bakeries in the town: made from durum wheat semolina and naturally leavened, it is baked in the oven and is soft on the inside but crunchy on the outside. This type of bread, when stale, is used to prepare the 'cialledda materana' with oil, onions, herbs and tomatoes. Legumes are excellent in soups, of which you can try many varieties; among the most typical are 'cicerchie', a legume similar to broad beans, and 'crapiata', a soup made from a mix of wheat, spelt, lentils, chickpeas, beans, broad beans, potatoes and peas. Among the first courses not to be missed, we find orecchiette alla materana: baked and enriched with sauce, chopped meat and cheese. Another gastronomic symbol par excellence is the crusco pepper, dried and fried in oil, which accompanies aperitifs and appetisers, but is also used as a condiment for homemade pasta dishes. For desserts, you will find some excellent ones in local bakeries and biscuit factories, many of them made with almonds or dried fruit. Among the most typical are the strazzate, made especially during the Christmas period, are biscuits made with almonds, cocoa, cinnamon and cloves with a flavour reminiscent of a bygone era, just like the spumette, fluffy biscuits made with chopped almonds, and the cartellate, crispy fried dough in the shape of a roundel to be eaten with icing sugar or honey.

The events taking place in Matera are unmissable appointments to get to know the identity and traditions of this millenary land. The feast of the Madonna della Bruna, the patron saint of the town, is celebrated on 2 July. Matera, adorned with sumptuous and colourful illuminations, welcomes the town procession that carries the statue of the Virgin on a triumphal float. The float makes the 'three turns' in the cathedral square before being destroyed and the celebration ends with a grand fireworks display. A not-to-be-missed event, in August, is the Sagra della Crapiata (Feast of the Crapiata): the ancient peasant soup, typical of Lucanian tradition, lives on this occasion a real moment of celebration and sharing, where gastronomy joins territorial pride. Matera bread, on the other hand, is celebrated in October with the Bread Festival: an event dedicated to the bread-making tradition of Lucania and the tasting of this famous food. In December, on the other hand, the city is transformed into an evocative setting that hosts markets and stalls with gastronomic and handicraft products and also comes alive with an evocative living nativity scene in which the entire community takes part.