Cammino Materano: Information, Tips, and Travel Diary

This space was born from the desire to share the emotions, thoughts, and discoveries experienced during the 300+ km I walked along the Via Peuceta and the Via Ellenica, where every step, every encounter, and every landscape helped make this journey a unique and unforgettable experience.

Crossing forests, ravines, wheat fields, ancient villages, solitary paths, and meeting hospitable people enriched my adventure with precious stories and memories, because the Cammino Materano is not only a physical journey through Puglia and Basilicata, but also an inner journey that connects with the nature and culture of these places.

This website does not claim to be exhaustive and doesn’t aspire to be a guide, but rather aims to offer a personal and authentic view of the walk, because every walker experiences this adventure in a subjective way.

On these pages, you’ll find a detailed report of each stage, complete with anecdotes, reviews, practical advice, and curiosities that aim to capture the beauty and essence of the Cammino, and which I hope will give you useful insights, convey the passion and wonder I felt, and inspire you to pack your backpack and set off.

Happy reading and buon cammino!

Six Routes Leading to Matera

What Is the Cammino Materano

Map of the Cammino MateranoCammino Materano refers to a network of six routes, called Vie, that start from six different cities in the south of Italy and all converge in Matera. So there isn’t a single Cammino Materano, but six distinct routes that cross four regions and meet in the city of the Sassi.

Of these six routes, only one is currently fully open: it’s the Via Peuceta, which starts in Bari. It was the first to be inaugurated about ten years ago and is the most traveled, so it’s possible that when people referto the “Cammino Materano” they mean this specific route.

As of today, in addition to the Peuceta, there are two other routes that are open, although only partially: they are the Via Ellenica from Alberobello and the Via Lucana from Tricarico. The other three routes have been designed but are not yet ready: the Via Jonica from Finibus Terrae, the Via Sveva from Trani, and the Via Dauna from Termoli.

Lastly, “Cammino Materano” is not only the name of the routes but also refers to the organization that created and manages them—an association responsible for maintaining the paths, promoting them, and coordinating the project as a whole.

Things to Know Before You Leave

Planning the Cammino Materano

Essential information on all the most important practical and logistical aspects: how the walk works, how to book accommodations, the best times to go, and a few tips on which route to choose, to help you prepare for your journey.

Choose your path

The Via Ellenica or the Via Peuceta? Or maybe both? A matter of taste (and time).

Which route to take

The best time of year

A walk for all seasons (or almost).

When to start

Where to sleep

Various types of accommodations welcome walkers, but it’s best to book in advance.

Sleeping along the route

The stamps and the credential

To obtain the Testimonium, a sigillum is added to the credential at each stage.

What they’re for

Who manages the Cammino

Behind the Cammino is an organization that created and manages it

How does it work?

Stage coordinators

There is one for each stage, and they can be contacted if needed.

Who they are and what they do
Asking Questions Is Allowed

The most frequently asked questions about the Cammino Materano

Travel Diary

2 routes, 340 km, 15 stages, 16 days: stage by stage, what I saw, what I liked, and what I learned — halfway between a diary and a review.

From Bari to Matera: 170 km in 7 stages

The Stages of the Via Peuceta

The Peuceta is the first route to have been opened, it’s the most traveled, it’s easy, and it’s ideal for those who only have a week to dedicate to the walk. It starts by the sea and ends in the city of the “sassi”.

From Matera to Alberobello: 170 km in 8 stages

The Stages of the Via Ellenica

From Matera I walked the Via Ellenica “in reverse” to Alberobello. A varied route full of history and breathtaking landscapes among ravines, natural oases, and timeless atmospheres.

Why choose to walk the Cammino Materano

Among the many walks in Italy and Europe, why this one?

This question, perhaps more than others, can only have a subjective answer, because the choice of a walk depends solely on personal tastes, attitudes, expectations, and past experiences that are different for everyone. I can only share how I came to this decision, leaving it up to each person to reflect on their own motivations and choose what best suits themselves and their desire to walk.

Having already completed the Camino de Santiago (the French Way), I was looking for something similar and started researching European walking routes. At a certain point, I narrowed it down to Italy, focusing particularly on the south: I realized that there were—and still are—parts of Italy I know little or nothing about, and it seemed reasonable to explore “close to home” rather than always looking abroad. Southern Italy is rich in walking routes of all kinds,and in the south alone, there are no fewer than twenty.

The choice fell on the Cammino Materano because I found exactly what I was looking for, namely:

  • a walk that wouldn’t physically wear me out — it’s suitable for those who aren’t athletes or particularly fit
  • no major elevation changes (personally, I struggle with those)
  • the chance to explore new places, far from my usual surroundings
  • enough days away from home to truly disconnect from daily routine
  • the opportunity to enjoy good food
  • not having to spend a fortune
  • the care and ethical approach I noticed from the organizers toward a number of aspects I deeply value: sustainability, off-season tourism, transparency, and, more broadly, communication; last but not least, the involvement of the local territory in the widest sense of the term.

A key strength of the Cammino Materano is undoubtedly the official website, which offers a wealth of material: of course the routes, the list of affiliated accommodations, a short description of each stage, and also basic information to help navigate the rich tourist, culinary, folkloric, and natural offerings of Puglia and Basilicata.

Wanting to walk for at least a couple of weeks, I decided not to limit myself to just one route, but planned two, one after the other: the Via Peuceta from Bari to Matera followed by the Via Ellenica from Matera to Alberobello (that is, “in reverse”), with a rest day to visit Matera in between and I must say the plan worked perfectly.

As they say in these cases: the rest is history. Buon cammino!

A Day to Visit Matera

What I did and saw as a walker with a free day

Matera in one day

Differences from the Camino de Santiago

Once and for all, they are two different walks: here’s why

All the differences

GPX files

What they are and how to use them offline with the appropriate app

Mini-guide on GPX files